The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.-Ps. cxi. 2. Ir a skilful painter should bring us into his shop, to behold his curious pictures, beautifully set forth with much art, would he not be offended if we should not vouchsafe them the looking on, nor commend his art? So, persuade thyself, that the mighty Creator is offended with thee, when all his works, even insensible creatures, praise him, if thou art dumb: how much more, then, when they declare his

glory, if thou by thy wickedness bringest dishonour to his name!

ELNATHAN PARR.

All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.-Psalm cxlv. 10.

I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.-Ps. cxxxix. 14. ALL other authors we distinguish by tomes, by parts, by volumes; but who knows the volumes of this Author; how many volumes of spheres involve one another; how many tomes of God's creatures there are? Hast thou not room, hast thou not money, hast thou not understanding, hast thou not leisure for great volumes, for the books of heaven (the mathematics), nor for the books of courts (the politics)? Take but the Georgics; the consideration of the earth; a farm; a garden; nay, seven feet of earth, a grave, and that will be book enough. Go lower: every worm in the grave; lower, every weed upon the grave, is an

abridgment of all. Nay, lock up all doors and windows, see nothing but thyself; nay, let thyself be locked up in a close prison, that thou canst not see thyself, and do but feel thy pulse. Let thy pulse be intermitted or stupified, that thou feel not that, and do but think;—and a worm, a weed, thyself, thy pulse, thy thought, are all testimonies that all, this all, and all the parts thereof, are a work made, and his work, made by God. He that made a clock or an organ will be sure to engrave his Me fecit,—such a man made me; he that builds a fair house, takes it ill if a passenger will not ask whose house it is; he that bred up his son to a capacity of noble employments, looks that the world should say, he had a wise and honourable father. Can any man look upon the frame of this world, and not say, There is a powerful - upon the administration of this world, and not say, There is a wise and just—hand over it?

DONNE.

O, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!-Psalm cvii. 8.

I LOOK upon a pair of spectacles not as objects, but as helps; as not meaning that my sight should rest in them, but pass through them, and, by their aid, discern some other things which I desire to see.

Many such glasses my soul hath and useth. I look through the glass of the creatures, at the power and wisdom of their Maker; I look through the glass of the Scriptures, at the great mystery of redemption, and the glory of a heavenly inheritance; I look through God's favours, at his infinite mercy; through his judgments, at his incomprehensible justice. But as spectacles presuppose a faculty in the eye, and cannot give me sight when I want it, but only clear that sight which I have, no more can these glasses of the creatures, of Scriptures, of favours and judgments, enable me to ap

prehend those blessed objects, except I have an eye of faith, whereto they may be presented. These helps to an unbelieving man are but as spectacles to the blind. As the natural eyes, so the spiritual, have their degrees of dimness. But I have ill improved my age, if, as my natural eyes decay, my spiritual eye be not cleared and confirmed; but, at my best, I shall always need spectacles, till I come to see as I am seen.

HALL.

I taught them, rising up early and teaching them; yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.-Jer. xxxii. 33.

The Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.—Hab. ii. 2.

GOD shews the inconsiderate man his book of creatures, which he may run and read; that is, he may go forward in his vocation, and yet see that every creature calls him to a consideration of God.