the perfecting and polishing of the Creatures in particular, were by degrees brought to perfection in the six several dayes, so he conjeaureth that the Sunne was made when the Heavens were made, at the first, but after the fourth day it was perfected, and had the light annexed to it, this giveth them an answer.

Now touching the fpiritual ufe of this knowledge, in which we The ufe will keep the course of these three things before noted. First, that a diftinction of names of us must be truly kept. Secondly, that they might be agreeable to the nature of the things. Thirdly, that we muft expreffe the nature of things fhewed by their names, by our right and well usage and practise of them.

I began to teach the laft day, that it doth not avail us, that things be distinct in nature, if there be a confufion of names; therefore God in wisdome brought in the right divifion of both orderly, for though names in affirmation and negation carnot change the true nature of things, Non amittunt quod funt cum amißione nominis, as in Fudas name, and though we call Gold Copper, and Lead Silver, yet the falfe name affirmed or denyed hurteth not the nature; yet notwithstanding, in respect of us, except there be a diftinction of certain appellations, names and titles, we shall grow erronious and ignorant of the right natures of things; therefore one fetteth down this rule,that fides nominum eft falus proprietatam, the right keeping of the names truly difcerned, is the preferver of the true properties of things: Therefore the Divell, not being able to alter the nature of things made, and diftinguished by God, he laboureth in the other to fhuffle and confound the names of things, which ought to be diftinguished, to deceive men: To fuch God faith, Fob. 38.2. Who is that which darkneth the Counsell by words without knowledge? for giving of ill and wrong names,confufedly obfcareth the right knowledge of the natures of things to us, and Paul complaineth of it, 1 Tim. 6. 20. he complaineth I fay of things in his time falfly so called. So may we now complain of us, that is, of the falfe faith, zeale, fincerity, preaching, and reformation of many, which indeed is but falfly fo called; for their unfruitfull faith is no faith, their blinde zeal is no zeal, their reformation is deformation, and their preaching is but a jingling or pratling, though it be falfly otherwise called. Wherefore they are in great fault, which give one and the fame name both rei,& privationi ret,to the substance and the shadows of things. This then is the firft ufe, which, by Gods example, we are to learn, namely to term things by their right names, by which God hath diftinguished them.

Secondly, As the names must not be in confufion, fo there must be a fitneffe and ftableneffe agreeable and correfpondent to the natures of the things; for commonly the names and titles of the world are either too bigge or too little in proportion for the nature of things. If men be great in authority and wealth, we are no niggards in our words, but give great and fwelling titles to them, though they be of small or no deferts, as Efay 32. 5. they will not ftick to call

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Naball

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2.

3.

Naball by the name of Nalath, that is, a foolish clownish Chrule, a right worshipfull man, to flatter him withall; but God will be angry if we give titles after fuch a manner, Fob.32. 22. As we are Parafites to others for favour or gain, fo we love to be flattered of others, and to have a great and glorious name for fmall and fimple gifts, though our deeds be very fmall and few, yet we must bumbaft our words as great as may be, but God obferveth agreeable

neffe.

Laftly, We learn that if the name be agreeable to the nature, then in our life and action we must alfo expreffe the nature of the things by well ufing, as the word teacheth us, that is, that fecing the day is our being, and fheweth that our life and being is laboring and well being in our Calling, therefore we must reckon or accompt our felves no longer to live and have the being of a man, then we are in the day imployed in fuch honeft and good actions of life, and efteem our selves in that refpe& as dead men, or as beafts, when we are idle, flothfull, and given to fleep, Prov. 24. 33, 34. we must be farre therefore from the fpeech and faying of the fluggard, that is, yet a little more fleep and flumber, that is delight in idleneffe. And fo must we be far from it in doings, behaviour and custome, Prov. 26. 14. which is thus defcribed, even as a dore moveth on hinges, fo doth he in idlenesfe, one calleth fuch fungos & truncos, fhewing that we differ not from blocks, being idle and fleeping, nor from mushromes, eating and drinking, nor from whelps,fporting and playings but then we are men, when we doe the actions of men, that is, to ftudy for knowledge, and work and travail for thy living, fo that the night is our time of non effe, fo long as we will octofum effe. Wherefore seeing Chriftians are not of the night but of the day, Thef. 5.5. we must doe the actions of good works, which belong to the day, and for which the day was made; for idleneffe, theft, adultererie, murther, &c. hate the light, because they are works of darknesse, 1 Cor. 4. 5. fo are there three paire of them fet down, Rom. 13. 13. So the qualities of our actions must be framed to the meaning of the word and nature of the things, which God hath made for us. And this may fuffice for the fecond diftribution of the names.

Gen.1. 6. verf.

Et dixit Deus fit firmamentum, &c.

N the second verfe these two were coupled together darkneffe and the deep; and how blessed an exchange of light we had been made partakers of, we have already heard.

Now it followeth to hear the wonderfull

works of God in the deep, and that not in the

face of the deep, but in the bowels and middle part thereof; God

hath

1

hath before removed the fwadling band of darknefle, and now he cometh to take order inthe deep, and hereafter he will come to the earth to order it, which as yet lyeth defolate, overwhelmed and buried in the mideft of the waters and deep.

Though the deep had but a poor being as yet, yet it had caufe to praise God for it, as fimple as it was, Pfal. 148. 7. But God, that it might praise him more, being moved with pity,to fee this poor rude being, in great goodneffe, fwallowed up Aby fum in Abyss, to teach us, that as there is nothing so dark and hidden, though it be in darkneffe it felf, but his eye of providence can fee it, fo that there is nothing fo deeply covered in fecret, but that he by the fame can reach to it.

In this fecond work the Prophet beginneth at the third point; for the first two, which are the materialls and womb and the impregnating, making fit or enabling it to receive a better form, were things belonging particularly to the first dayes work, which, in respect of the prerogations it had, was called the one day and the day alone: For in the first day there was fpiritus ana creatio fed varia procreatio ; for, all things being made in groffe at the firft, and impregnated and conceived in this womb of the waters, had afterward in the fix feverall dayes and times their procreation, and were brought forth, and therefore the gulph being enabled before, is not diftinguished and feparated into that place, which is the upmoft Heavens of all above us, and the pureft and cleereft and beft part of the waters; The other part which is more unpure is fet in that place below, under us, which reacheth unto the bottom of the deep of the earth: Saint Auftine faith, that this feparation was therefore made, because God would not trouble the living Creatures of the earth, afterward with many waters, which were not a meet Element for them to live in,but only they should have the impreffions of the Ayre, to water the earth, as rain, fnow, haile and dews.

Touching Heaven which is one part of the divifion, there is varia calum aĕreum acceptio verbi, it is diverfly underftood: for firft, it is taken for cælum aëreum,which we call the skie as in the 20. verfe of this Chap.volucres cali, when Heaven is taken for the Ayre or Skie, Jer. 87. Milvus in cælo, &c. that is, in the Ayre, fo Gen. 9. 14. nubes cæli, that is, the Clouds which hang and flie in the Ayre: And Chrift faith, that they are skilfull to difcern the times, by view of the face of Heaven, to know what the day will be by the redneffe or lowring of the Ayre or Skie, Luk. 4.25. he faith, the Heavens were fhut or locked up three yeers, that is, the Ayre where the Clouds are. So doe Heathen writers take the word cælum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt, that is, they change the Ayre not their mindes, &c. where cœlum is taken for that diftance of place, which is between us and the Moon: After we have fpoken of this cælum aëreum,we will come to the other cælum cælorum but firft let us confider the Ayre in the generall, and then the true Chambers of the Ayre, as David calleth them, Pfal.104.2.3.that is, of the three Regions of the Ayre. In which trea

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tife

Diftributio.

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2.

tile we will confider, first, the matter or argument of these verses. Secondly, the name of the thing it felf in the 8. verfe.

In the first three things are to be noted: First, Gods Edi&: Secondly, the execution of it,in the former part of the 7. verfe; And the third is the return of the Edict or Writ. And it was fo. Of the first, in which we confider the word, the manner, and the parts, to whom the Edict is given; and then what, wherein, and to what end it was; namely to diftinguish the one waters from the other.

It pleafed God in every daics work, to have feverall fpeech and mention made of bis Word and Spirit, the one to exclude neceffity, the other to exclude chance or cafualty; the word is ever named to conclude and shut out that objection, quis erat ei confiliarius, Efay 40. 13, 14. that he had no need of counfell or advife, the other to exclude quis dedit illi prior, for as he did all things without the advise and help of any, by himself, fo he did it of his meer goodnesse and grace, without any motive or perfwafion of our deferts.

Touching the word, which I told you was verbum unum increatum &aternum: We must confider it abiding in God, as skill, art, and cunning doth abide in a perfect work-man; and his proceedings and manifestation in the Creatures as the skill of an artificer, proceedeth from him into his work, and there is to be feen: fo the fecond perfon, the word of God abideth for ever wholly in God, and dwelleth and retteth in his bofome, Pro. 2. And this, by this means paffeth from God the Father, into his workmanship and Creatures, and is to be seen manifeftly how wonderfull and glorious Gods word and wisdome and art is, by which he made all And fo may we fay of his fpirit which is infeparable and coequall with it: for as with our words our breath alfo proceedeth out of our mouthes, in one action, and at one time: fo ever the word and the fpirit of God proceedeth from him together, to the perfecting of any work. So we fee they are indivifible, Heb. 1. 2. 3. Chrift by whom God made the World, is there called a stamp, or graven form of his Father, and the brightnesse of his glory; fo that now here is fhewed the second stamp, and impreffion graven and formed in thefe works, in which the brightneffe of his Image may be feen, namely his power and wifdome, &c. For by the word of God alfo were the Heavens made Pfal. 33. 6. faith David, out of which fentence we may learn two fpeciall points.

First, that the word of God is the generall mediator, not only between God and man in the work of redemption, but also between God and his works in this Creation: for after that the word of God was, he by whom all things had their being, and were that they are, and were fet joynt and in order by him, then by the fame verbum increatum proceeding from God, together with that powerfull working of the fanctifying Spirit, were all things new created, and fet in right order and joynt again, being by Adams finne clean out of frame.

The other point is, that whereas it had been all one for Mofes to say, Deus dixit aut Deus facit, he rather causeth this phrase, Dixit De

us, quia fecit dicendo in men indeed fermo & opus are two things of divers natures, often feparated; for commonly the greatest layers are least doers well, the talkative are seldom active, but in God they are all one,his dictum & factum have no difference; for as Aufine faith, with God initium fermonis eft perfectio operis, and this is the prerogative of the fupernatural Agent.

Touching the ftile or phrase of the Edi& or Mandate, it is imperative: the Kings of the Earth are glad oftentimes by fair means to entreat that their inferiors and subjects may doetheir will, as the ancient men counselled Roboam, 1 Reg. 12. 6, 7. And the Apoftles dare not alwayes use their authority in commanding, 2 Cor. 8.8. But God continually goeth by way of commanding, because none are able to refift his will; he feareth none that shall withstand him. . In this ftile and phrafe he is, in resembling, compared to a Prince or King, who, aleth but his commandement and word to have his will in any thing executed; if he will have an Hoft of mea in Armar, he needeth but fend out his commandement, and it is fpeedily done, while he fitteth ftill: So doth God here. Wherefore, if we fear and obey Princes Precepts, and if the dumb Creatures extcute his commandement, How much more ought we which are men, to obey and doe that he commandeth us?

3.

The third point unto whom this Edict is directed, is non enti, Rom. 4. 17. he peaketh to things that are not, as if they were, fo did he in the first dayes work, but now he commandeth the deeps of the waters, 2.Cor. 4. 6. touching which God challengeth the greatest Princes in the world, Fob. 38. 8. 11. Canft thou command the deeps? The Proud King of this Ifland, as we read in Chronicles, took upon him this authority to command the waters, but he was checked by their difobedience, but when God commandeth the deeps they obey, contrary to their nature, Efay 44, 27. Thus we fee what is taught conclufio. by the Edict: And then, to whom it was given.

As the work to make light of darkneffe is past all our capacity, so this is as wonderfull a miracle, and as great contrariety, as the former, to make altißimum excelfum cæli, ex profundis abyßi, which, as the other, fheweth the wonderfull power of the Creator that made them. Again, God in all this work, is contrary to the manner of men in their Architecture; for men ufe in making any thing, to make their frame in that place where the fittest matter may be had neere hand for their work: But as this matter is contrary in our reason, so he thinketh it all one to fetch the matter, of which he will make Heaven, out of the deepest and remoteft place of all; whereas we, building Ships, doe choofe that place where the wood is new, and to build houfes we feek a place where ftones are nigh at hand to be had; but it is all one with God, his arme is long, and his power and word able in a moment to fetch and doe it.

Secondly, It is Gods challenge, Fob. 38. 8. that none can make a thing orderly out of a difordered matter; but God, of the moft confufed, ruderaging, and disordered Creature in the world, made

the