Verse 12: An exposition with practical observations continued upon… by Joseph Caryl | AskReformation

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:388p. 74–75

We may learn many lessons from speechless creatures. While we turn the leaves and peruse the contents of this great volume the book of nature, we may find much of the God of nature. David took instructions from it daily (Psal. 8.) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindful of him? I say likewise, ⟨p. 75⟩when we behold the grass and flowers of the field, the flag, the rush in the water: we may not only put the Question, What is man? but we may resolve the Question, what the man is: when we look upon the meanest creatures, we may see pieces of our selves, they are as we are in many considerations, and we as they; what is man? Man is as grass. What is a wicked man an hypocrite? He is a rush, He is like the chaff which the wind drives away. What is a godly man? He is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. The Spirit of God from things sensible and visible, raiseth us up to things spiritual and invisible.

We may learn many lessons from speechlesse creatures. While we turn the leaves and peruse the contents of this great volume the book of nature, we may finde much of the God of nature. David took instructions from it daily (Psal. 8.) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindefull of him? I say likewise, ⟨p. 75⟩when we behold the grasse and flowers of the field, the flag, the rush in the water: we may not only put the Question, What is man? but we may resolve the Question, what the man is: when we look upon the meanest creatures, we may see peeces of our selves, they are as we are in many considerations, and we as they; what is man? Man is as grasse. What is a wicked man an hypocrite? He is a rush, He is like the chaff which the winde drives away. What is a godly man? He is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. The Spirit of God from things sensible and visible, raiseth us up to things spirituall and invisible.

:389p. 75

The Ancients were very frequent in this kind of study,¹ perusing the book of nature, and taking helps to better the understanding by every object of the eye. It is well observed by one of them, That God sent us the book of nature, before he sent the book of Scripture. The mind of God was written upon the things which he had made, before he made tables or books to write his mind in. The Fathers had many revelations from the beginning, but they had not Scripture from the beginning. Some conceive that Isaac going out into the fields to meditate, meditated upon the text of the creature, and used to raise his heart by those steps of earth to heavenly contemplations. It is said of Solomon (1 King. 4.32, 33.) That he spake three thousand Proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five, and that he spake of trees, from the Cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; which^* Josephus expounds thus, Solomon applied his three thousand parables or similitudes unto those trees or plants about which he discoursed, drawing some divine moral from every plant, whose nature as a Philosopher he had described.

The Ancients were very frequent in this kinde of study,¹ perusing the book of nature, and taking helps to better the understanding by every object of the eye. It is well observed by one of them, That God sent us the book of nature, before he sent the book of Scripture. The minde of God was written upon the things which he had made, before he made tables or books to write his minde in. The Fathers had many revelations from the beginning, but they had not Scripture from the beginning. Some conceive that Isaac going out into the fields to meditate, meditated upon the text of the creature, and used to raise his heart by those steps of earth to heavenly contemplations. It is said of Solomon (1 King. 4.32, 33.) That he spake three thousand Proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five, and that he spake of trees, from the Cedar tree that is in Leba••n, even unto the hysop that springeth out of the wall; which^* Josephus expounds thus, Solomon applied his three thousand parables or similitudes unto those trees or plants about which he discoursed, drawing some divine morall from every plant, whose nature as a Philosopher he had described.

1Praemifit Deus naturam magistram, submissurus & prophetiam, quo faciliùs credas prophetiae discipulus naturae. Tertul. Familiare est Syris & maximè Palestinia ad omnem sermonem suum parabolas jungere, ut quod per simplex praeceptum teneri non potest, per similitudines teneatur. Hier. in c. 19. Mat.
*Cuilibet specie: plantarum suam adhibuit parabolam Joseph. in loc.

:394p. 76–77

Fourthly, The rush and the flag grow only in miry places, where they may have abundance of water and moisture, which notes a kind of sensuality in them, and therefore they have their names from drinking. So hypocrites seem to be heavenly, but are indeed earthly: they are like the rush, they cannot live without store of water, they are sensual, they must please their appetites, and delight their palates. The Apostle describes them so, They serve not the Lord Jesus, but their own bellies; they must be supported with the affluence of outward things, else they cannot hold out, in profession. Whereas the godly and true believers can live, when the water is drained or dried away, when outward things fail and are gone. So the Prophet Habakkuk professes, Chap. 3. ult. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, though the fields shall yield no meat, and there be no herds in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, and will joy in the God of my salvation. A godly man will grow when all the world decays to him; he will rejoice in God when all outward comforts fail him; hypocrites must have sensual supplies, or they are lost. A feigned love ⟨p. 77⟩of spiritual things is ever joined with a true love of worldly things. Christ speaks of some who followed him more for the loaves then for the word. And Judas followed his Masters bag, more then his Master.

Fourthly, The rush and the flag grow only in miry places, where they may have abundance of water and moisture, which notes a kinde of sensuality in them, and therefore they have their names from drinking. So hypocrites seem to be heavenly, but are indeed earthly: they are like the rush, they cannot live without store of water, they are sensuall, they must please their appetites, and delight their palates. The Apostle describes them so, They serve not the Lord Jesus, but their own bellies; they must be supported with the affluence of outward things, else they cannot hold out, in profession. Whereas the godly and true believers can live, when the water is drain'd or dry'd away, when outward things fail and are gone. So the Prophet Habakkuk professes, Chap. 3. ult. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome, neither shall fruit be in the vines, though the fields shall yeeld no meat, and there be no herds in the stalls, yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, and will joy in the God of my salvation. A godly man will grow when all the world decaies to him; he will rejoyce in God when all outward comforts fail him; hypocrites must have sensuall supplies, or they are lost. A feigned love ⟨p. 77⟩of spirituall things is ever joyned with a true love of worldly things. Christ speaks of some who followed him more for the loaves then for the word. And Judas followed his Masters bag, more then his Master.

:396p. 77

Sixthly, A bulrush or a flag withers sooner then any other herb, that is, then other herbs that are not seated so near the water. And this agrees well with the hypocrite, for when the hypocrite begins once to wither, he withers quickly. He never had any true life, and he will not long appear to have any. When one that hath made a fair profession begins to decay, he decays sooner than a mere civil man; a civil man will hold out in honesty and justice a great while, but a hypocrite gives over holiness and godliness presently. Besides, God blasts and withers an hypocrite sooner than any other man, because he hath abused and wronged God more then any other man. When judgements come they fall first upon hypocrites, The hypocrites in Zion tremble, Isa. 33. Trembling will take hold upon the profane and openly wicked, but trembling takes hold soonest upon hypocrites; they have most cause to tremble, who were confident without a cause. False hope is the parent of real fear; and they who believe without repenting, shall repent without believing.

Sixtly, A bulrush or a flag withers sooner then any other herb, that is, then other herbs that are not seated so near the water. And this agrees well with the hypocrite, for when the hypocrite begins once to wither, he withers quickly. He never had any true life, and he will not long appear to have any. When one that hath made a fair profession begins to decay, he decaies sooner than a meer civil man; a civil man will hold out in honesty and justice a great while, but a hypocrite gives over holinesse and godlinesse presently. Besides, God blasts and withers an hypocrite sooner than any other man, because he hath abused and wronged God more then any other man. When judgements come they fall first upon hypocrites, The hypocrites in Zion tremble, Isa. 33. Trembling will take hold upon the prophane and openly wicked, but trembling takes hold foonest upon hypocrites; they have most cause to tremble, who were confident without a cause. False hope is the parent of reall fear; and they who believe without repenting, shall repent without believing.