The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /

II. The whole creation of God is against thee. The whole creation (saith Paul) groaneth and travelleth in pain. Rom. 8. 22. But what is it that the creation groaneth under? why, the fearful abuse that it is subject to, in serving the lusts of unsanctified men. And what is it that the creation groaneth for? why, for freedom ⟨p. 119⟩and liberty from this abuse; for the creature is very unwillingly subject to this bondage. Rom. 8. 19, 20, 21. If the unreasonable and inanimate creatures had speech and reason, they would cry out under it, as bondage unsufferable, to be abused by the ungodly, contrary to their natures, and the ends that the great Creator made them for. It is a passage of an eminent Divine; The liquor that the drunkard drinketh, if it had reason as well as a man, to know how shamefully 'tis abused and spoiled, it would groan in the barrels against him, it would groan in the Cup against him, it would groan in his throat, in his belly against him. It would fly in his face, if it could speak. And if God should open the mouth of the Creatures, as he did the mouth o• Balaam's Ass, the proud mans garments on his back would groan again•d him. There is never a creature but if it h• reason to know how 'tis abused, till a man • converted, it would groan against him. This land would groan to bear him, the air would groan to give him breathing, their houses would groan to lodge them, their beds would groan to ease them, their food to nourish them, their clothes to cover them, and the creature would groan to give them any help and comfort, so long as they live in sin against God. Thus far he. Methinks this should be a terror to an unconverted soul, to think that he is a burden to the Creation. Luke 13. 7. Cut it down why cumbreth it the Ground. If the poor inanimate creatures could but speak, they would say to the ungodly, as Moses to ⟨p. 120⟩Israel; Must we fetch you water out of the rock, ye rebels?