A divine herbal together with a forrest of thorns In five sermons. ... By…A divine herball together with a forrest of thornes In five sermons. ... By…

But the Earth here meant is a divine, spiritual, immortal nature; called Earth by a Metaphor, incapable of suffering terrene fragility. This is Gods Earth, and that in a high and mystical sense, though proper enough. Indeed Domini terra, the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, saith the Psalmist. But he hath not such respect ⟨p. 7⟩to the Earth he made, as to this Earth for whom he made it. This is Terra sigillata, earth that he hath sealed and sanctified for himself, by setting his stamp and impression upon it. Now the good mans heart is compared to Earth for diverse reasons.

But the Earth here meant is a diuine, spirituall, immortall nature; called Earth by a Metaphor, incapable of suffering terrene fragilitie. This is Gods Earth, and that in a high and mysticall sense, though proper enough. Indeed Domini terra, the earth is the Lords and the fulnes•e thereof, sayth the Psalmist. But he hath not such respect ⟨p. 7⟩to the Earth he made, as to this Earth for whom he made it. This is Terra sigillata, earth that he hath sealed and sanctified for himselfe, by setting his stampe and impression vpon it. Now the good mans heart is compared to Earth for diuerse reasons.

1. For humilitie. Humus, quasi humilis. The Earth is the lowest of all elements, and the centre of the world. The godly heart is not so low in situation; but so lowly in it own estimation. God is said to hang the earth upon nothing. Jo•. 26.¹ He stretcheth out the North over the empty place, and hangeth the Earth upon nothing: that it might wholly depend on himself. So a true Christian heart, in regard of it self, is founded upon nothing; (hath an humble vilipending and disprising of it own worth) that it may (ex toto, & ex tuto) wholly and safely rely on God. O man of earth, why exaltest thou thy self? this is the way to prevent and frustrate the exaltation of God. Keep thy self lowly as the Earth; reject all opinion of thy own worth, and thou shalt one day over-top the clouds. The Earth is thy mother, that brought thee forth when thou wert not: a stage that carries thee whiles thou art: a tomb that receives thee when thou art not. It gives thee original, harbour, sepulchre. Like a kind mother, she bears her off-spring on her back; and her brood is her perpetual burden, till she receive them again into the same womb, from whence she delivered them. She shall be