The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

That our hearts may be affected with wondering at this great world which God hath made: we may profitably consider of it, either by thinking what it is like, or by serious pondering what it is indeed.

This great world is like a great Garden throughly furnished, every creature being as a pleasant flower exquisitely ranked in most comely order, the only weeds that grow in this Garden, are wicked men: as it may be likened to a great Book, in which God hath written glorious things that concern the praise of his goodness, wisdom and power: Every creature is, as it were, a distinct lease of that Book, and the properties and uses of these creatures are, as it were, the several lines and letters of that leaf: and the more admirable, because it is a Book; the writing whereof is indelible, and the uses whereof are universal: the Book so opened, that all men in all parts of the world may see and read. Again, this visible world may be likened to a great and fair house, most exquisitely buil, and contrived into several rooms, and every room richly furnished; the Heavens are the Roof, the Earth the floor, and the Elements the several rooms, and the hosts ⟨p. 162⟩of creatures in each of them the rich furniture: and this house is the more admirable for us, because it is a house that every man dwells in, out of this house no man can be put, & it is kept at the charge of the Land-lord, and the Tenants pay no rent.

This great world is like a great Garden throughly furnished, euery creature being as a pleasant flower exquisitely ranked in most comely order, the onely weedes that grow in this Garden, are wicked men: as it may be likened to a great Booke, in which God hath written glorious things that concerne the praise of his goodnesse, wisdome and power: Euery creature is, as it were, a distinct lease of that Booke, and the properties and vses of these creatures are, as it were, the seuerall lines and letters of that leafe: and the more admirable, because it is a Booke; the writing whereof is indelible, and the vses whereof are vniuersall: the Booke so opened, that all men in all parts of the world may see and read. Againe, this visible world may be likened to a great and faire house, most exquisitely buil, and contriued into seuerall roomes, and euery roome richly furnished; the Heauens are the Roofe, the Earth the floore, and the Elements the seuerall roomes, and the hosts