The first use (point of application) in a series of sermons on Hebrews 11:3, reprinted with some editing from By Faith, a Banner of Truth Trust reprint from Manton’s Works.
The whole world is but God’s workshop, where there are the masterpieces of His wisdom and majesty. These are seen very much in the order of causes and the admirable design of the world.
1. The wisdom of God and His counsel are mightily seen.
The world is not a work of chance, but of counsel and rare contrivance. All that the Lord did here, He did by skill and according to the inward idea that was in His own mind; therefore the prophet says, “He hath weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance” (Is 40:12). God did, as it were, take a balance into His hands and weigh out all He created; He has disposed all things by number, weight and measure; He has done it in exact proportion. O let us admire the wisdom of God! It is above our search: “No man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end” (Ecc 3:11); we may admire it in the general and say it is all good, but we cannot find it out. Some little glimpses of His wisdom we have, so that we may cry out, He is a great God, wonderful in counsel, mighty in working.
But O the rare and wonderful contrivance! We cannot discern all the beauty and all the order of it. If we would only consider the different tendencies of light and darkness, of heat and cold, of moisture and dryness – the skill that is seen in all things that He has made – we should say, Certainly He that made these things is a wise God and wonderful in counsel. We know the power of God by His making all things out of nothing; but we know the wisdom of God by His making all things in such an exquisite order. Compare it with yourselves: we are soon tired; it is much to us to promote a trivial interest in the world, to spread our small nets and reach out our heart to the cares of our own families. But how wise is that God who had the model of all things within Himself, from the elephant to the ant – that has made and formed them with such apt proportions, that guides the courses of the heavens, and keeps the stars in their paths and order!
2. The majesty and greatness of God.
Look up to Him who is at the upper end of all these causes that are so suitably subordinate to one another in the world; and He can turn them as He pleases. Job says of the bright cloud: “It is turned round about by His counsels, that they may do whatsoever He commandeth” (37:12). Look up to Him that is the head of angels. We are dazzled at the splendour and magnificence of an earthly king or prince; when we see Him surrounded with dukes, earls and lords, these seem great things to us. How should we wonder at the majesty of God, who is encompassed with cherubim and seraphim, principalities, powers, thrones and dominions! How do we wonder at the majesty of kings riding in triumph in their chariots! O how should we wonder at Him that rides upon the wings of the wind!
It was the brag of the king of Assyria: “Are not my princes altogether kings?” (Is 10:8). But God has angels for His courtiers and clouds for His chariots (Ps 18:10,11) and a golden garment of light for His covering (Ps 104:2). His throne is in heaven and His footstool is upon earth; in heaven He sits in great majesty, commanding all things, and has all creatures ready for His service. He need but beckon to them and they engage in His quarrel: “They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera” (Judg 5:20). He has the stars in order, to fight his battles against a wicked man. “He saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth: likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of His strength. . . . It is turned round about by His counsels, that they may do whatsoever He commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth” (Job 37:6,12). He can call the winds, and they will make a ready answer to God: “Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here are we?” (Job 38:35). All creatures are upon His errand. Lord, here we are, send us: whether shall I go? says the lightning; Where shall I go? says the thunder; Where shall I go? says the hail. They are ready to be despatched in an errand for the punishment of sinners.