1overthroweth not what the Pſalmiſt here ſaith, nor doth he con
tradict Common Experience; for it is true notwithſtanding,
that the Earth, the Structure of God its Architect, doth not de
cay (as our Buildings are wont to do) by age, or conſume by
wormes, nor ſway and leane to this or that ſide; that the Seats
and Neſts of Living Creatures are not moleſted; that the
Mountains and Shores ſtand immoveable againſt the violence of
the Winds and Waves, as they were at the beginning. But the
Pſalmiſt addeth a moſt Elegant Hypotheſis of the Separation of
the Waters from the Continent or Main-land, and adorns it
with the production of Fountains, and the benefits that Springs
and Rocks exhibit to Birds and Beaſts. Nor doth he omit the
apparelling the Earths Surface, mentioned by Moſes amongſt the
works of the third Day, but more ſublimely deſcribeth it in his
Caſe in expreſſions infuſed from Divine Inſpiration; and flouri
ſheth out the commemoration of the many commodities which
redound from that Exornation for the Nouriſhment and Com
fort of Man, and ^{*} Covert of Beaſts. The fourth part begins
at Verſe 20. celebrating the fourth dayes work, viz. The Sun
and Moon, but chiefly the commodiouſneſſe of thoſe things,
which in their Seaſons befall to all Living Creatures and to Man;
this being the ſubject matter of his Diſcourſe: So that it plain
ly appeareth he acted not the part of an Aſtronomer. For if he
had, he would not then have omitted to mention the five Planets,
than whoſe moiton nothing is more admirable, nothing more ex
cellent, nothing that can more evidently ſet forth the Wiſdome
of the Creator amongſt the Learned. The fifth part begins,
Verſe 25. with the fifth Dayes work. And it ſtores the Seas with
Fiſhes, and covers them with Ships. The ſixth part is more ob
ſcurely hinted at, Verſe 28. and alludeth to the Land-Creatures
that were created the ſixth day. And laſtly, he declareth the
goodneſſe of God in general, who daily createth and preſerveth
all things? So that whatever he ſaid of the World is in relation
to Living Creatures; He ſpeaks of nothing but what is granted
on all hands; for that it was his intent to extol things known,
and not to dive into hidden matters, but to invite men to con
template the Benefits that redouud unto them from the works of
each of theſe dayes.
tradict Common Experience; for it is true notwithſtanding,
that the Earth, the Structure of God its Architect, doth not de
cay (as our Buildings are wont to do) by age, or conſume by
wormes, nor ſway and leane to this or that ſide; that the Seats
and Neſts of Living Creatures are not moleſted; that the
Mountains and Shores ſtand immoveable againſt the violence of
the Winds and Waves, as they were at the beginning. But the
Pſalmiſt addeth a moſt Elegant Hypotheſis of the Separation of
the Waters from the Continent or Main-land, and adorns it
with the production of Fountains, and the benefits that Springs
and Rocks exhibit to Birds and Beaſts. Nor doth he omit the
apparelling the Earths Surface, mentioned by Moſes amongſt the
works of the third Day, but more ſublimely deſcribeth it in his
Caſe in expreſſions infuſed from Divine Inſpiration; and flouri
ſheth out the commemoration of the many commodities which
redound from that Exornation for the Nouriſhment and Com
fort of Man, and ^{*} Covert of Beaſts. The fourth part begins
at Verſe 20. celebrating the fourth dayes work, viz. The Sun
and Moon, but chiefly the commodiouſneſſe of thoſe things,
which in their Seaſons befall to all Living Creatures and to Man;
this being the ſubject matter of his Diſcourſe: So that it plain
ly appeareth he acted not the part of an Aſtronomer. For if he
had, he would not then have omitted to mention the five Planets,
than whoſe moiton nothing is more admirable, nothing more ex
cellent, nothing that can more evidently ſet forth the Wiſdome
of the Creator amongſt the Learned. The fifth part begins,
Verſe 25. with the fifth Dayes work. And it ſtores the Seas with
Fiſhes, and covers them with Ships. The ſixth part is more ob
ſcurely hinted at, Verſe 28. and alludeth to the Land-Creatures
that were created the ſixth day. And laſtly, he declareth the
goodneſſe of God in general, who daily createth and preſerveth
all things? So that whatever he ſaid of the World is in relation
to Living Creatures; He ſpeaks of nothing but what is granted
on all hands; for that it was his intent to extol things known,
and not to dive into hidden matters, but to invite men to con
template the Benefits that redouud unto them from the works of
each of theſe dayes.
Pſal. 104. v. 5.
* Shelter.
And I do alſo beſeech my Reader, not forgetting the Divine
Goodneſſe conferred on Mankind; the conſideration of which
the Pſalmiſt doth chiefly urge, that when he returneth from the
Temple, and enters into the School of Aſtronomy, he would
with me praiſe and admire the Wiſdome and Greatneſſe of the
Creator, which I diſcover to him by a more narrow explication
of the Worlds Form, the Diſquiſition of Cauſes, and Detection
Goodneſſe conferred on Mankind; the conſideration of which
the Pſalmiſt doth chiefly urge, that when he returneth from the
Temple, and enters into the School of Aſtronomy, he would
with me praiſe and admire the Wiſdome and Greatneſſe of the
Creator, which I diſcover to him by a more narrow explication
of the Worlds Form, the Diſquiſition of Cauſes, and Detection
zoom in
zoom out
zoom area
full page
page width
set mark
remove mark
get reference
digilib