yER, 10,1I,12. Epi/leto the H.E W B ii; ousof his creatures ; and thatás toDurationor Eternity: Frailty and Change in and of himfelf, one of the creatures, being that whichin particular he addretethhimfeif to the Lord about. 2. TheTime or feafon of the Creation is firt intimated ; ,cxT dp,edc, for w ,fires,, K1' drXát; that is,' nuon, in the beginning, oras the word is here, a +10, of okl; before they were,or exifted. Theyhad their beingand beginning from thee ; of old they were not , bin in thy feafon thou gaveft Exifience or being unto them. Verfe t o. Thom haft laid thefoundation of the Earth, and the Heavens are the works of thy hands. TWo things are obfervable in. this Expreffion of the Creation of all things : ( I. ) The Di(fribution made of them into Heaven and Earth ; being dittine`lly mentioned. In the confideration of the works of God, to admire his Greatnefs Power and Wifdom in them, or to fit forth his praife for them;' it is ufual in the Scripture to di ibute them intoparts, the more tofix the Contemplationof themind upon them, o excite 'it unto Faith Admirationand Praife. So dealeth the Pfalmiji with e works of Gods Providence in bringing the Children of Ifrael out of IEgypt, PJàL.136. He takes as it were, that whole curious work into 'its fiveral pieces, and fubjoyns that Inference of praife to every one of them, for ins mercy endureth forever. And fo he dealeth with the works ofCreation, Pfl. Ig. and in futidry other places. -( 2. ) What ispeculiar in theExpreffions with refpeet untoeach ofthem. Of the Earth it is faid, he founded it'; becaufe of itsliability and unenoveablenefl; which is the Language ofthe Scripture ; He fit itfait, he eftablifhed it, that it fhould not be moved for ever. It may be alto thewhole Fabrick ofHeaven and Earth is compared to an IEdifiee or Building; whereof the Earth as the loweft and mot} depreffed part is looked on as theFoundation of the whole; but the_liability, unmoveablenefs andfirtn- nefs of it, is that whichthe word exprefleth, and which is moil properly intended. (z.) Of the Heavens, that they are the Works of his bands ; alluding,to the curious frame andgarnifhingof them with all their Holt or Glorious Lights wherewith they are adorned: The ;Mt!), ( Job 26. t3.) the bcautifulm)?, adorning, or garniJhing of the Heavens, in theCurious Glorious forming and tathioning of them, is that which . in a way of Diftintion thePJa/miJf aims to exprefs in theft words, the Heavens are the works of thy hands, thatwhich thy Hands, thy Power with infinite Wifdom bath framed fo as to fet off, and give luftre and beauty to the whole Fabrick; as a Matter- Workman doth the upper and more nobleparts of his building ; This is the fitti thing affigned to the Lord in this Teftimony of his Glory. The fecond is in the Changeor Abolition of them. Moti füppofe that the Heavens . and the Earth at the tat}day (hall only be changed, altered, or renewed, as to their qualityand beauty ; Tome that they (hall be utterly delfroyed, confumed and abolifhed. The difcutling of thatdoubt belongs not direétlyto the Interpretation or Exppfitiori of this place; neither fenfe of the wordsconducing particularly to the Apottles pur- poleand detign in reciting this Tetimony. It is enough to his Argument, that the workwhichwas of old in the Creationof the world, and that which (hall be in the mutation orabolition of it, which is no lets an effeçt of Infinite'Power then the for- mer is afaribed unto the Lord Chritt. What evertheworkbe, he , compares them to a Garment no more to beufed, or at leannot to be ufed in thefame kind wherein it was before ; and the work it felfto the folding up, or rolling up offuch a garment, intimating the Greatnefsof himby whom this work (hall be performed, and the facility of the work unto him. Thewhole Creation is as, a Garment, wherein he thews his Power cloathed untomen. Whence in particular he is laid to cloath himfelf WithLight aswith a Garment. And in it, is the hiding of his power : hid it is, as a man is hid with a gar- ment ; not that he thouldnot be teen at all, but that he thould not befeenperfectly, and as he is ; it thews the man, and he is knownby it ; but allo it hides him that . he . is not perfeétlyor fully feen. So are the works of Creation untoGod ; he fo far makes them his garment or cloathing , as in them to give out Tome iafiances of his Power and Wifdom; but He is alto hid in them, in thatby them no creatures can come to the full and perfect knowledge ofhim. Now when this work (hall ceafe, and Gòd(lia . NI mm rtnelsath ll
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