Honoured Friends,
IT hath been long since observed, That the world below, is a Glass to discover the World above; Seculum est speculum. And although I am not of their opinion, the say, The Heathens may spell Christ out of the Sun, Moon and Stars; yet this I know, That the irrational and inanimate, as well as rational creatures have a Language; and though not by Articulate speech, yet in a Metaphorical sense, they preach unto man the wisdom, Power, and goodness of God, Rom. 1. 20. There is (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 19. 3.) No speech, ⟨image 3⟩nor Language where their voice is not heard. Or (as Junius renders) there is no Speech, nor Words, yet without these their voice is understood; and their Line (i. e. saith Deodate) their writing in gross and plain draughts, is gone out through all the earth.
As man is compounded of a fleshly and spiritual substance, so God hath endowed the creatures with a spiritual, as well as fleshly usefulness; they have not only a natural use in Alimental and Physical respects, but also a spiritual use, as they bear the figures and similitudes of many sublime and heavenly mysteries. Believe me (saith contemplative Bernard) thou shalt find more in the Woods, than in a corner; Stones and Trees will teach thee what thou shalt not hear from learned Doctors. By a skilful and industrious improvement of the creatures (saith Mr. Baxter excellently) we might have a fuller taste of Christ and Heaven, in every bit of Bread that we eat, and in every draught of Beer that we drink, than most men have in the use of the Sacrament.
And as the Creatures teach divine and excellent things, so they teach them in a perspicuous and taking manner: Duo illa nos ⟨image 3⟩maximè movent similitudo, & exemplum, 1saith the Orator; These two things, similitude and example, do especially move us. Notions are more easily conveyed to the understanding, by being first clothed in some apt Similitude, and so represented to the sense. And therefore Jesus Christ the great Prophet, delighted much in teaching by Parables; and the Prophets were much in this way also, Hos. 12. 10. I have used Similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets. Those that can retain little of a Sermon, yet ordinarily retain an apt Similitude.
I confess it is an humbling consideration, That man, who at first was led by the knowledge of God to the knowledge of the Creature, must now by the Creatures learn to know God.
Honoured Friends,
IT hath been long since observ'd, That the world below, is a Glass to discover the World above; Seculum est speculum. And although I am not of their opinion, the say, The Heathens may spell Christ out of the Sun, Moon and Stars; yet this I know, That the irratoinal and inanimate, as well as rational creatures have a Language; and though not by Articulate speech, yet in a Metaphorical sense, they preach unto man the wisdom, Power, and goodness of God, Rom. 1. 20. There is (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 19. 3.) No speech, ⟨image 3⟩nor Language where their voice is not heard. Or (as Iunius renders) there is no Speech, nor Words, yet without these their voice is understood; and their Line (i. e. saith Deodate) their writing in gross and plain draughts, is gone out through all the earth.
As man is compounded of a fleshly and spiritual substance, so God hath endowed the creatures with a spiritual, as well as fleshly usefulness; they have not only a natural use in Alimental and Physical respects, but also a spiritual use, as they bear the figures and similitudes of many sublime and heavenly mysteries. Believe me (saith contemplative Bernard) thou shalt find more in the Woods, than in a corner; Stones and Trees will teach thee what thou shalt not hear from learned Doctors. By a skilful and industrious improvement of the creatures (saith Mr. Baxter excellently) we might have a fuller taste of Christ and Heaven, in every bit of Bread that we eat, and in every draught of Beer that we drink, than most men have in the use of the Sacrament.
And as the Creatures teach divine and excellent things, so they teach them in a perspicuous and taking manner: Duo illa nos ⟨image 3⟩maximè movent similitudo, & exemplum, 1saith the Orator; These two things, similitude and example, do especially move us. Notions are more easily conveyed to the understanding, by being first cloathed in some apt Similitude, and so represented to the sense. And therefore Iesus Christ the great Prophet, delighted much in teaching by Parables; and the Prophets were much in this way also, Hos. 12. 10. I have used Similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets. Those that can retain little of a Sermon, yet ordinarily retain an apt Similitude.
I confess it is an humbling consideration, That man, who at first was led by the knowledge of God to the knowledge of the Creature, must now by the Creatures learn to know God.
- 1Cicero.
