ourfelves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body.

The apoftles knowing that they had been raised together with Chrift, were often in agony and tears for the manifeftation of the event. And having the art and fagacity of divine phyfiognomy, difcovered the whole vifible creation in the fame cafe, and on the fame account. They looked in the face of nature, and faw by her countenance that she was in diftrefs; and that her complaint was, her being preffed into the service of vanity and corruption: and, longed for the refurrection of men, when the fhould herself alfo be delivered.

Since the fall and corruption of human nature, the heavens with all her luminaries, and the earth with all its furniture, have been doing little elfe, but fpinning, weaving and cooking, not fo much for human wants, as to fatisfy exorbitant lufts. The apoftles, by the divine fagacity and attention given them, could hear her grudge, and faw indignation in her face, that her admirable œconomy and works fhould be prostituted for fuch difhonorable purposes. They faw a reluctant

inftin&t

inftinct run through the whole, and a diflike to the fervice, because of man's irrational conduct. And that all creatures would with one confent rife up in vengeance, and fall upon man to his rain, only, they were with-held by the creator, who fubdued and reconciled them to the service This he did by his power and prefence on earth efpecially, entering into the fervice himself in the presence of all nature. And to make amends for her service, fhe had the honor of fupplying his He fubmitted to become dependent upon her, borrowing light from his own fun to fee his way, food from the earth, and clothes from the

wants.

creatures.

He used her gifts with cheerfulness and difcretion, for he came eating and drinking; that is, with wifdom and gladnefs.

been liberal to him, but ferring it over unto man.

And he would have he declined it, trans

And hereby he tamed

and fubdued the indignation of the creatures, and reconciled them to the fervice of man,

and pro

mised all nature a glorious ftate when the fons

of God fhall be feparated from the wicked, and

raised from the dead.

Then that fhe fhould be

the drudge of luft and pride no more, but should pafs into the liberty of the glory of the fons of God.

He, as it were, spoke to all the creatures, exhorting them to be patient in the fervice of man. For you see that I myself am in the fame; I ferve and labor for、 man. Do you fo too. Do thou, earth, yield crops and plentifully fupply him: do you, creatures, obey and bow your necks to him: do ye, heavens, forbear your anger, and let your luminaries fhine, and walk in their courses to give light, measure time and make feafons for him, and you fhall país into a condition of grandeur and fublimity far furpaffing what you originally poffeffed: you shall be the eternal abodes and poffeffions of wisdom and holinefs. Nature can hear his voice, though not ours. When the wind and fea rose up against the difciples and threatened their lives, our Lord rofe and fpoke to them, and there was a great calm; for they would be obedient to him, as was obferved by thofe who were prefent. As if they had faid, we did not know that thou waft there, we were not angry with thee, but

with them. We will hear thee, but would not have heard them. Thus all nature is obedient to God, and humbled and subjected to serve, even the vanity of man.

be

The apoftles yet obferved her reluctance, and said that she was not willing. She appeared like a woman in labor, with diftorted features and fymptoms of racking pains. This was owing to man's wanton wickedness and abufe of her gifts. Her face is hereby disfigured, which would otherwife appear much more ferene and beautiful, and her operations for our good, more regular and exact. When any nation becomes remarkably intemperate and profane, the heavens are to feen evidently out of humour; fun, moon ftars scarce willing to give the feafons, the earth upon the fret, pining and unwilling to yield her crops. And when God has forfaken any nation, nature will serve them no longer. As foon as he had wholly forfaken the Cananites, fhe was up in arms against them: the earth fent out her hornets and drove them into confufion, raving and madness: and heaven joined her, roaring over them, and in her juft and dreadful paffion, flung

X 2

moon and

great

great flones, and ftoned them to death.

The apoftles could read these things. They faw her in diftrefs, and could hardly contain herself. Yet they could discover traces of beauty and vivacity, fo as to give proofs that she was not in defpair: fhe carried indications of a future ftate of grandeur and magnificence. Her deep fighs and groans were like those of a woman longing for the happy moment of release. For fhe knew, if I may fay fo, that she was already in her glorified condition, the manifeftation of which was with-held, and was therefore in earnest expectation of the event. For, as we faid, all nature died and rofe with Chrift, and paffed into their new and final flate.

I fay, all nature. And fo fays the apostle, 2 Corinthians 5. 17. So that if there is in Christ, any new creation, he has paffed by the old; behold, he has made new the whole. So this verse ought to be read, according to the Greek and the drift of the difcourfe. He says above, Chrift died and role UPER PANTON, inftead of the whole. So that if Chrift paffed