How doth this check the sons of men for their ungratefulness against God?1 whereas this proper and peculiar love of God to man, should provoke him to exceed all other creatures in setting forth the honour and glory of God, who hath so respected him: Man for the most part dishonoureth God more then all other creatures, except the infernal spirits, who wholly and only set themselves to dishonour and blaspheme the name of that great God, who reserveth them in everlasting chains. For if we look into the highest Heavens, there we shall see the heavenly Spirits stand before the Throne of God, ready to receive and execute any charge that he shall give them: yea, there we shall hear them singing continually praise unto the Lord, and rejoicing when God is any way glorified in Heaven or in earth. Do any of the sons of men so far exceed the Angels in glorifying God, as Gods mercy hath more abounded to us then to them? What we shall do in Heaven I know not, but how far short the best of us on earth do come of them, none can be ignorant. Descend we therefore a little lower into the next heavens, where we may behold the Sun, Moon, Stars, and whole host of those heavens keep constantly that fixed order and course which at first their Maker appointed them: yea, the Moon in her changes, and the very wandering Stars in their wandering, observe the decree of the Creator, and start not from that order which he hath set unto them; and yet the sons of men daily transgress the Ordinances which the Lord their God hath given them. The very earth which was cursed for mans sake, with little tillage bringeth forth all manner of needful and pleasant fruits for man: yet all the spiritual culture which God useth on the sons of men, cannot⟨p. 587⟩ make many of them bring forth good fruit. Read Gods complaint to this purpose, in the long which was made to the Vineyard of the Lord. 2The Prophet Isaiah noteth that the Ox and the Ass (two of the most brutish creatures that be) take better notice of the kindness of their Masters,3 then the Sons of Men do of the mercies of the Lord to them.
How doth this checke the sonnes of men for their vngratefulnesse against God?1 whereas this proper and peculiar loue of God to man, should prouoke him to exceede all other creatures in setting forth the honour and glory of God, who hath so respected him: Man for the most part dishonoureth God more then all other creatures, except the infernall spirits, who wholy and onely set themselues to dishonour and blaspheme the name of that great God, who reserueth them in euerlasting chaines. For if wee looke into the highest Heauens, there we shall see the heauenly Spirits stand before the Throne of God, ready to receiue and execute any charge that he shall giue them: yea, there we shall heare them singing continually praise vnto the Lord, and reioycing when God is any way glorified in Heauen or in earth. Doe any of the sonnes of men so farre exceede the Angels in glorifying God, as Gods mercy hath more abounded to vs then to them? What we shall doe in Heauen I know not, but how farre short the best of vs on earth doe come of them, none can be ignorant. Descend we therefore a little lower into the next heauens, where wee may behold the Sunne, Moone, Starres, and whole hoast of those heauens keepe constantly that fixed order and course which at first their Maker appointed them: yea, the Moone in her changes, and the very wandring Starres in their wandring, obserue the decree of the Creator, and start not from that order which he hath set vnto them; and yet the sonnes of men daily transgresse the Ordinances which the Lord their God hath giuen them. The very earth which was cursed for mans sake, with little tillage bringeth forth all manner of needfull and pleasant fruits for man: yet all the spirituall culture which God vseth on the sonnes of men, cannot⟨p. 587⟩ make many of them bring forth good fruit. Reade Gods complaint to this purpose, in the long which was made to the Vineyard of the Lord. 2The Prophet Isayah noteth that the Oxe and the Asse (two of the most brutish creatures that be) take better notice of the kindnesse of their Masters,3 then the Sonnes of Men doe of the mercies of the Lord to them.
- 1Use 1. Reproof of mans ungrate fullness.Vse 1. Reproofe of mans vngrate fulnesse.
- 2Isa. 5. 1, 2. &c.
- 3Isa. 1. 3.
