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…

3. For faithful Constancy. The Earth is called Solum; because it stands alone, depending on nothing but the Makers hand.¹ One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever. She often changeth her burden, without any sensible mutation of her self.² Thy faithfulness is to all generations: thou h•st established the Earth, and it standeth. The Hebrew is, To generation and generation: inferring that times, and men, and the sons of men, posterity after posterity pass away, but the Earth whereon, and whereout they pass, abideth. The parts thereof have been altered; and violent ⟨p. 10⟩Earth-quakes begot in the own bowels, have tottered it.³ But God hath laid the foundations of the earth, (the Original is, founded it upon her bases) that it should not be removed for ever: the body of it is immovable. Such a constant solidity is in the faithful heart; that should it thunder Bulls from Rome, and bolts from heaven, Impau•dum ferient ruinae. • Indeed God hath sometimes bent an angry brow against his own dear ones; and then no marvel, if they shudder: if the bones of David tremble, and the teeth of Hezekiah chatter. But God will not be long angry with his: and the balances, at first putting in of the evenest weights, may be a little swayed, not without some show of inequality: which yet after a little motion, settle themselves in a just poise. So the first terror hath moved the godly, not removed them: they return to themselves, and rest in a resolved peace. Lord, do what thou wilt: if thou kill me, I will trust in thee. Let us hear it from him, that had it from the Lord. Psal. 112.⁴ Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, &c. Oh sweet description of a constant soul!