62,8 The Wifdom of Voi.1 built by any Mortal Man, but the Stones did grow in thofe forms into which they teem to us to be cut and graven ; that the Stones , and Timber, and Iron, and Brafs, and all the other Materials, came thither by Chance, and upon a day met all 'happily together, and put themfelves into that delicate order, in which we fee them fo clófe compa led, that it muff be a great Chance that parts them again. Now is it not much eater to imagine how a skilful Workman fhould raile a Building, than how Timber, and Stones, and how that variety of Mate, rials which is required to ä great and flarely Building, fhould meet together all of a juft bignefs, and exactly fitted, and by chance take their places, and range themfelves into that order. I infift the longer upon this, becaufe I am fenfible . how much Atheifm bath gained in this Age., a. Let us Admire, and Adore, and Praife the Wifdom of God, mho hath d'o- blilh'dthe world by his wifdom, andf retchedout the heavens by his underltanding who bath made all things in number, weight , andmeafure ; that is , by exaQ dam. The wife Works of God are the proper Object of our Praife; and this is a Day proper for this Work of Praife and Thankfgiving. Now under the Gof pel, lince Chrift was clearly revealed, we have newmatter ofPraife and Thankf- giving ; but as God has given us Chrift fo he hath given us our Beings. Weare not fo to Remember our Redeemer, as to forget our Creator. The Goodnefs, and Power, and Wifdom of God, which appears in the Creation of the World, ought fä11 to be matter ofAdmiration andPraife to Chriftians. It is a great Fault andNegleá among Chriftians, that they are not more taken up with the Works of God, and the Contemplationof theWifdom which íhines forth in them. We are apt enough to admire other things, little. Toys; but we overlook this vaft curious Engineof the World and the great Artificer of all things. It was truly faid of one, that moft men are fo ftupid and inconfiderate, as to admire the Works of a Painter or a Carver, more than the Works of God. There are many that have bellowed more Eloquence in the praife of a curious Picture, or an exalt Building, than ever they did upon this noble and exquifite frame of the World, or any of the other works of God. We can admire the wifdom and defign, and skill ofpetty Artifts, and little Engineers; but here is wifdom in the Beauty and Order ofthe Creation. Did we love God, and take Pleafure in the Effects of his Wifdom and Power, we Mould be more in the Contemplation of them. Pfal. tit. z. The works of theLordare great, fought out of all them that have pleafure therein. Let us then faywith the Pfalmift ; 0 Lordhowmanifold are thy works 1 in wifdomhaft thou made them all ; theEarth is full of thy riches, &c. More particularly let us, with an humble thankfulnefs, admire the Wifdom which bath made and difpofed all things fo fitly for our Ufe and Service, and with fo merciful a refpe6t to us; The Light and Influent of Heaven ; the Beafis and the Fruits of the Earth. We find the Pfalmift often Praifing God upon this Account, Pfal. 136. 4, s. &c. The Wifdom which bath framed thefe Bodies of ours. Pfal 139. 54, 55, 16. Which bath endowed us with Knowledge and Underfianding. Elihu complains, that Men were apt to overlook thefe great Bleflings of God, yob 3 ç. 50,11,52. But none faith whereis Godmy maker,who gives Songs in the night ? Who teacheth us more than the. Begsof the Earth, and maketh us wifer than the Fowls of Heaven? There they cry, but none giveth anfwer, becaufe ofthep ;ide of evil men. 3. Ufe; Truft the Wifdom ofGod, which made the World, to govern it, and the Affairs of it; and the Wifdom which hath framed thy Body in fo curious and exquifite a manner, and formed thy 'Spirit within thee, and bath made fo many Creatures , with reference to thy Neceflity and Comfort, truft him for thy future Provifion. Mat. 6. 15. Ifay untoyou, lake no thought for your lives, what ye (halleat, &c. Is not the life more than meat? and the body than raiment ? He bath given us our Souls, he hath breathed into us the breath of life, and made thefeBodies withoutour careand thought; He bath done the greater,will he notdo the lets ? When thou art ready anxioufly and folicitoufly to fay, what (hall I do for the Neceffàries of Life ? Confider whence thou didit receive thy Life, who made this Body of thine ; thou may'ft be afíär'd that the Wifdom which bath created
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