les in the heavens, because of
the various and different appearances and motions of stars in them,
whereas it may be, really, there is but one celestial body in which all
these various lights and motions do appear, so do men fancy unto
themselves an order in the Lord's decree according to the phenomena or
appearances of his works in the world; whereas it is one purpose and
decree, which in its infinite compass comprehends all these vanities and
orders together. This much we may indeed lawfully conceive of his decree,
that there is an exact correspondence and suitableness between his
majesty's purpose and execution, and that he is a wise Lord, "wonderful in
counsel and excellent in working," having some great plot and design
before his eyes, which he intends to effect, and which is, as it were, the
great light and sun of this firmament, unto which, by that same wonderful
counsel, all other things are subordinate, and so in the working it shall
appear exactly as his counsel did delineate and contrive it.

There is no man so empty or shallow, but he hath some great design and
purpose which he chiefly aims at; shall we not then conceive, that the
Lord, who instructs every man to this discretion, and teaches him, (Isa.
xxviii. 26,) is himself wise in his counsel, and hath some grand project
before him in all this fabric of the world, and the upholding of it since
it was made? Certainly he hath. And if you ask what it is, the wise man
will teach you in general--"He made all things for himself, yea, even the
wicked for the day of evil," Prov. xvi. 4. Here, then, is his great design
and purpose--to glorify himself,--to manifest his own name to men and
angels. Now, his name comprehends wisdom, goodness, power, mercy, and
justice. The first three he declares in all the works of his hands. All
are well done and wisely done. The excellency of the work shows the
wonderful counsellor and the wise contriver. The goodness of any creature
in its kind, declares the inexhausted spring of a self-being from whom it
proceeds, and the bringing all these out of nothing, and upholding them,
is a glorious declaration of his power. But yet, in all the works of his
hands, there is nothing found to manifest his glorious mercy and justice,
upon which are the flower and garland of his attributes, and unto which
wisdom and power seem to be subservient. Therefore his majesty, in that
one entire purpose of his own glory, resolves to manifest his wrath and