quem Deus Instituit Aquin. 1. 2 dae q. 21. Art 4. Ad primum nothing can be diminished nothing taken from God by any act of man Yet man as much as in him lyes takes away from and gives or brings to God when he either keeps or doth not keep that order which God hath appointed Sinners shall be judged and dealt with as they that have greatly annoyed and disadvantaged God as they that have rob'd and spoyl'd him as they that have smitten and wounded him as they that have abased him and laid him low And there is reason they should be judged as having done so forasmuch as they do their utmost to do so Thus they are described Psal 2.1 2. The Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers c. And why all this what was it for It was against the Lord and against hû Anointed This was done by the Princes and Great Ones of the world yet they were so far from being able to prejudice the Lord either in his Person or in his Interest that he did but laugh at them for it And 't is considerable that God is described there according to the notion used by Elihu in the Text sitting in the Heavens vers 4. He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision And why doth the Lord laugh surely because he sees they can no more hurt or hinder him in his purposes by any of or all their sinful advisings and attemptings than if they should hope to batter down the Heavens by discharging a Pot-gun against them And therefore he concludes with a triumphant Yet ver 6. Yet have I set my King after you have done your worst upon my holy Hill of Sion The sins of men do tuâ—n to the glory of God but to their own shame The sins of Gods own children turn to the gloâ—y of his mercy those huge heaps and numberless numbers of sins committed by his Children before Conversion what do they in the issue but lift up the glory of his Grace in the pardon of them And the rebellions committed by impenitent sinners going on in obstinacy to the end without Conversion what do they but lift up the glory of God in his Justice and wonderful judgements which he will bring upon them The sins of the old world which was a world of sin all flesh having corrupted their way before God and there being but one righteous Family found in it all those sins I say did not dammage God at all but indeed they glorified both his Patience and his Justice his Patience in sparing them so long even an hundred and twenty years after warning given his Justice in sending the Flood at last which brought swift destruction upon them and swept them all away The unnatural crying sins of Sodome did not hurt the God of Heaven but God took advantage thereby to gloâ—ifie his Justice in raining Fire and Brimstone upon them from Heaven Gen. 19.24 Pharaoh by all his opposition against the Israel of God did not disadvantage God but gave him an advantage to make his Power known by swallowing up him and his Egyptian Host in the waters of the Red Sea That which is done against the Will of God fulfills the Will of God The sins of men are so far from hurting the God of Heaven that they glorifie him among men on Eâ—rth while they behold him either turning the evil which is dore into good or punishing them â—or their evil doings That which men speak or do against God like an Arrow shot up into the Ayre falls down upon their own heads David Ps 111.2 breaks out wonderfully into the praise of God upon this consideration The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure in them These woâ—ks of God wherein we should take pleasure are not only wo ks of mercy to the Godly vers 3 4 5. but of vengeance upon the wicked vers 6. He hath shewed his people the power of his wâ—rks that he may give them the heritage of the Heathen The works of his hands are Verity and Judgement vers 7. That is judgement for Saints in saving them and upon sinners in consuming them De eo quod agitur contra Dei voluntatem voluntas ipsius vel mala in bonum convertentis vel mala punientis impletur August Enchirid c. 100. We should much contemplate the works of God in bringing glory to himself out of the sins of men The Angels sinned and sell man sinned as soon almost as he was set up These Creatures did that which God would not have done yet God brought about that which he would And thus it is to this day among all the childâ—en of men while they break holy Commandements God fulfills his holy Counsels no thanks to them yea woe to them So then the Lord hath no hurt by sin which way soever sinners turn themselves they cannot turn away his Counsels nor turn from his Counsels When they are disobeying his revealed will Miro et inaffabili modo non fit praeter ejus voluntatem quod etiam contra ejus voluntatem fit quia non fieret si non sineret nec utique nolens sinit sed volens Nec sineret bonus fieri male nisi omnipotens etiam de malo facere posset bene August in Psal 111. he is doing his secret will in which God is most righteous and in his season will lift up his Righteousnesse and Holinesse his righteous and holy Will in the face of all the sinners in the world and they shall know and confesse that he hath served his own wise and holy purposes even in those Providences wherein they have had no purpose but to serve their foolish and unholy lusts and pleasures We have an illustrious proof of this in that extreamly evil and unnatural practise of men good in the main the holy Patriarchs against their own Brother Gen. 50.20 who told them plainly when he meant them no evil but good But as for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it for good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive Further To clear the Point in general we may distinguish of sin as having a threefold opposition First Against our selves Secondly Against our Neighbour Thirdly Against God This division or distinction of sins must be so understood that the two former namely sin against our selves and against our Neighbour brings a real detriment and disadvantage to our selves and to our Neighbour But as sin hath respect to God it doth not bring any real detriment to him Only it may be said First The will of many sinners is raised up to that height of wickednesse as purposely to set themselves to dishonour God to blaspheme his name and do despight to the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10.29 which is the utmost length that sin or lust can go Secondly The nature of
especial power wisdom and goodness of God The water if left to it self would â—all whole like a sea upon us or like a mighty floud in such quantities as would instead of refreshing overwhelm the earth When God drowned the world it is said Gen. 7.11 The same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up and the windows or flood-gates of heaven were opened We are not to imagine that heaven hath windows oâ— flood-gates but God did not put forth his mighty power to make small the drops of rain but let it come all at once those waters which were before bound up in the clouds by the decree of God were now by his decree let loose in a wonderful manner and measure and came down not in drops but in streames and spouts the clouds did not as formerly destil their burden Pluvia in nubibus velut in linteo continetur atque in illis velut compressa guttatim distillâ—tur but ease themselves of it at once or altogether Rain ordinarily as sweat through the Pores of the skin passeth by degrees through the Pores of the Clouds yet God can let it out all at once Sea-men who take long Voyages tell us they meet with spouts of wateâ— endangering great ships So then this making small the drops of water is to be ascribed to a threefold Attribute of God Fiâ—st It is a woâ—k of his power nor is it done without a kind of Miracle that the water comes down as it were through a sive or watering-pot Secondly It is a work of divine wisdom The Lord knowing that the earth cannot digest huge portions of water at once divides it into little po tions that the earth may gradually receive and let it soak into iâ—s bosom for the feeding of Plants and the supply of all câ—eatuâ—es that live upon it Thirdly 'T is a work also of divine Goodness for if God did not make small the drops of water if it should come down whole it would drown the earth instead of comforting and fattening it Behold then the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God in making small the drops of water Though Philosophers have attempted to find out and assigne a reason in Nature about this falling of the rain in drops yet they have not fully attained the reason why nor the manner how God doth this we must ascribe it chiefly to the power wisdome and goodness of God in ordering it for the benefit of man yea of all living creatures Plane admirabilem et tremendum in illu et per illa fefe exhibet deus Merc And surely Elihu leads us to consider the wonders of those things which are common and naturall to convince us that forasmuch as we cannot clearly see the reason of those lesser things we should take heed of prying into greater and remoter secrets and he would have Job particularly know that seeing he could not find out the way of God in these natural things much less could he find out the way and whole designe of God in those his providential dealings with him He maketh small the drops of water and then as it followeth in this verse They pour down rain according to the vapour thereof Though the water be made into small drops yet he doth not say they drop down but they pour down rain that is the drops fall plentifully that frequent expression in Scripture of pouring down every where implyeth plenty or abundance The promise of pouring out the Spirit in the latter dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundit fundendo purgaovit active item percolatus exâ—olatus de faecatus suit Imber nimbus plu â—a notes the abundance of the Spirit that shall then be given The word signifies also to straine implying that the rain is contained in the Clouds as it were in a linnen cloath which being pressed distills the water in small streams or drops as it were through a strainer They pour down Rain There are three words in the Latine the first of which notes a showre or gentle rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pluvia hiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum transitivum in Hiphil significat feâ—it â—luere quo certe innuitur deum esse Authorem pluviae Fagius in Gen the second a stormy or fierce rain the third rain in generall Rain in this place may be taken in all or either of these notions for at one time or other the Clouds pour down drops into all sorts of rain Rain as I said is made of vapours drawn up and here he saith They pour down rain According to the vapour thereof There are two sorts of vapours there are dry vapours and moist vapours dry vapours say Naturalists are the matter of the wind and the moist are the matter of the rain Now saith Elihu they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof that is Pluviae quasi fluviae eo q òd fluant Isidor Quae fundunt pluviam post nebulam â—jus Pisc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat vâ—porem et nubem significâ—t etiam calamitatem hinc versus ita vertitur nam subtrahit stillas aquarum quae fundebant pluviam ad calamitatem ejus Jun look in what proportion the Sun draweth the vapours into the Aire in that proportion doth the rain fall upon the Earth or in the samâ— proportion that the vapour is drawn up in that proportion is the rain let down Some render the word which we translate vapour a cloud that is after the water is drawn up into a Cloud it pours down rain proportionably Another translation renders it Affliction or trouble and give the whole verse thus He draweth up the drops of water which poured down rain to their Calamity This the lea ned Author applyeth particularly to the Flood in Nâ—ahs time but I shall not stay upon that Our reading is clear They pour down rain according to the vapour thereof that is in the same proportion that vapours come up the rain falls down First In that as the rain is made of the vapour so according to the vapour or in proportion to the vapour such are the showres of rain Note According to what is naturally received returns are naturally made And if the Clouds of Heaven return to man naturally according to that they receive from the Earth how is man on earth bound morally or in duty to return according to what he receives from Heaven Let us mind our accordings and proportions to the dealings and dispensations of God The Clouds of the aire will condemn us at least witness against us if we receive much and return little I passe this Only here we may take notice of six things in Concatination one with another First vapours are drawn up from the Earth Secondly they are made into watery Clouds Thirdly from thence they are sent back to moisten the Earth Fourthly the rain sent down is proportionable to the vapour that went up Fifthly according to that proportion the Earth is made more or lesse fruitfull plentifull
them in remembrance that God made their fore-fathers dwell in tents when he brought them out of Egypt as also to mind them that here they had no abiding place but were to seek one to come And as this place of publick worship so any place for private dwelling was called a tabernacle Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house until c. Said David Ps 132.3 that is into my house which though it be a royal Pallace yet I look upon it but as a movable tabernacle But doth God dwell in a movable house God is immovable he makes no removes yet wheresoever God is pleased to shew himself in his power and marvelous works there we may say his tabernacle is The tabernacle of God where this noise this mighty noise is made is nothing else but the Clouds before spoken of The Clouds are Gods tabernacle they are called so expresly by a word of very near cognation unto this Psal 18.11 He maketh the Clouds his pavilion A pavilion is an extraordinary tabernacle a pavilion is that tabernacle which is proper to a King or to the General of an Army Now saith the Psalmist He maketh the Clouds his pavilion In them he shews his power and glory They are also called the chariots of God Psal 104.3 Deut. 32.6 and he is said to come in the Clouds as a Prince in his chariot He came in a thick Cloud Exod. 19.9 and he descended in a Cloud Exod. 34.5 which here is called his tabernacle So then the Clouds together with all that middle region of the air where the rain now and fiery meteors are generated are in Scripture allegorically called the tabernacle of God because there he seems often to dwell or reside for the producing of many wonderful works upon this inferiour world We may take the word here in a double allusion unto a tabernacle or unto two sorts of tabernacles First There were ordinary tabernacles wherein men dwelt The ancient Hebrews dwelt in tents or tabernacles these were tabernacles for civil use or for habitation in allusion unto which the Apostle speakes of the body wherein the soul dwels 2 Cor. 5. When the earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved we know that we have a building of God an hsuse not made with hands eternal in the heavens Secondly There were tabernacles for military use souldiers tents or tabernacles As the whole heavens so the clouds especially may be called the tabernacle of God in both respects they aâ—e his house wherein he sits unseen and doth wonders all the woâ—ld over in them he shâ—weth his power and appears gloâ—iously and as a great Pâ—ince or mighty General he sends out his edicts and orders from the clouds he commands winds stormes tempests snow haile for several dispensations to go from thence according as his own infinite wisdom seeth fit and the cases of men require whether in wayes of Judgment or of mercy as Elihu tells us yet more distinctly at the 31th verse For by them saith he judgeth he the people he giveth meat in abundance The clouds are very fit and commodious for Gods use in any of these respects either for the terrifying and punishing of the wicked or for the helping and feeding of them that fear him Now forasmuch as the clouds are called the tabernacle of God upon these accounts Learn first There God is said to be especially where he especially workes God is no more in one place of the woâ—ld than in another as to his being and existence for he is every wâ—ere he filleth heaven and earth We must not think that God is shuâ— up in the clouds as a man in his tabernacle but because God workes much in the clouds and doth great things by the rain thunder and lightening therefore the cloudes whence these Meteors issue are called his tabernacle Where-ever God works much he is said to dwell Why is God said to dwell with them that are of an humble and contrite heart even because he workes much in them and much by them So because many great works of God are done in the Clouds as we shall see more particularly hereafter therefore the Lord is said to dwell there as in his tabernacle Secondly When 't is said Who can understand the noise of his tabernacle Observe The most dreadful storms and tempests the roaring winds which we hear at any time are sent out by God they are the noise of his tabernacle They go when he saith go Psal 148.8 Stormy winds and tempests fulfilling his will We may think stormes of all thingâ— least under command and order yet they are under an exact order The most stormy winds go not an haires breadth besides or beyond the commission which God gives them As often as we hear the roaring noise of the wind much more of thunder let us remember 't is the noise of his tabernacle Vers 30. Behold he spreadeth his light upon it and covereth the bottom of the sea Elihu insists still upon the workes of God He spreadeth his light Some understand by this light the lightening and it is a great truth God wonderfully spreads the lightening upon the daâ—k clouds as if they were all in a flame That 's clear to the eye when it lighteneth and God is sâ—yd Psal 144.6 To cast forth his lightening which comes neer this word in the text he spreadeth it But because in the next châ—pter Elihu speakes purposely of the lightening therefore I shall not stay upon that sence here but decline it Rather take light in the common notion He spreadeth his light that is the light of the Sun which is eminenâ—ly called Gods Light upon it that is upon the cloud spoken of in the forme verse and so the two parts of this verse yeild us a deâ—cripâ—ion as I conceive of the weather-changes made by God When we have had much rain and stormes God can presently spread his light upâ—n the cloud that is cause the light and heat of the Sun to conquer the clouds and scatter them And he also covereth the bottom of the Sea That is by and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes it very dark by the gathering of thick clouds even as dark as the bottom of the Sea whither the light cannot come or dark to the bottom of the Sea Râ—dices maris sunt profundissimae infimaeque illius partes The original is the roots of the Sea that is the lowest parts of the Sea which we significaâ—tly translate the bottom of the Sea Some explicate the whole veâ—se He spreads his light upon the face of the whole heavens and spreads the waters over the Ocean so that no bottom can be seen scarcely found Mr. Broughton by the roots of the Sea understands the earth Another saith he makes mention of the roots of the Sea because the waters of the Sea are as it were the roots of the Clouds they chiefly supplying the matter of which they are made Vapours drawn from
the waters of the Sea by the heat of the Sun become Clouds and these Clouds cover both Earth and Sea far and near Thus 't is matter of wonder to see such great and sudden changes in the air that the same Sun with its beames should exhale those vapours which are condensed into Clouds and that soon after those Sun-beams should scatter and dissolve those Clouds or thaâ— now the heavens should be so masked with Clouds as to make all dark and in a little space all return to its former brightness and bâ—â—uty He spreadeâ—h hiâ— Light Wha is there in the world that is not Gods â—â—re he calleâ—h Light his Hence note God loves to entitle himself to Light in an especial manner Mat. 5.44 He causeth his Sun to shine c. The Moon is his as well as the Sun and the Stars are his as much as either but because the Sun is the greater Vessel and conveigher oâ— Lighâ— therefore saith Christ He causeth his Sun to shine on the evil and the good c. God himself is Light and the Father of Lights Jam. 1.17 which is true not only of spiritual Light by which the things of God are discovered to us but also of natural Light the light of the Sun that 's Gods Light too he is the Father of it Secondly note The changes which we see in the air from fair to fowl weather from calms to tempests are from God It is not in the creature to make one day or hour fair or foul As Christ gives the reason why no man should swear by his head because he cannot make an hair white or black he cannot change the colour of an hair nor make a hair of any colour So it is not in the power of any man to make one day fair or foul that 's Gods peculiar He spreadeth his Light upon the Clouds and covereth the bottom of the Sea Vers 31. For by them he judgeth the People he giveth meat in abundance This 31th Verse gives us the effect of all that which Elihu had spoken before of the rain of storms and tempests and we may add of lightening and of thunder By them he judgeth the people and giveth meat in abundance Here are two effects First an effect grievous Secondly an effect gracious The former proceeds from the justice the latter from the mercy and goodness of God By them that is by the rain by the winds c. he judgeth the people To judge is taken three wayes in Scripture First To judge is to rule or govern When it is said such a man judged Israel the meaning is he ruled and governed Israel That 's the language of the book of Judges every where when their Governours are spoken of Secondly To Judge is to determine or give sentence in a special case Deut. 25.1 Thirdly To judge is to punish or afflict and thus often in Scripture when God punisheth any person or people he is said to judge them Psal 51.4 That thou mayest be cleared when thou judgest that is when thou afflictest or layest thine hand upon me saith David as God had threatened by Nathan that the sword should not depart from his house this moved David to make confession Against thee thee only have I sinned that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and cleared when thou judgest As if he had said my confession O Lord will be thy justification all may see I have given thee abundant cause to lay thy chastening hand upon me Heb. 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge though men let them pass yet God will not he will punish them Again in that notable place 1 Cor. 11.31 32. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. What it is to be judged the Apostle sheweth in the next words But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord. The Apostle warns the Church to take heed how they came to the solemn assemblies lest coming rashly and unpreparedly the hand of God should fall heavy upon them by weakness sickness and death When Elihu saith By them he judgeth the People We are to take judging in this third sence He judgeth that is he afflicteth and punisheth men by these things Thus the Allusion is elegantly followed The Lord from his tabernacle or throne in the Clouds sends forth Edicts and signes his Warrants for the punishment both of nations and persons windy stormes rain and thunder going forth as executioners of his orders and appointments By them he judgeth the people Hence observe First God can make a scourge of any of the creatures By them that is by the rain and by the wind he judgeth the people He can use what instrument he pleaseth to afflict and chasten us with Read the holy Scriptures read the Histories of the Church and you will find all sorts of creatures summoned one time or other and sent forth as Gods messengers to punish the pride and stubbornness the impenitency and perversness of mens hearts and wayes How many creatures did God make use of to punish Pharaoh with and many of them veâ—y contemptible ones among the rest the hail rain and thunder spoken of in this place were his instruments of vengeance in plaguing that hardned King Whensoever God afflicts a people by the creatures he judgeth them by the creatures Let us take heed that we provoke not God to turn those things which were given for our good to our hurt that he make not what was made our servant our punishment God made all creatures serviceable and useful to man but through sin they become grievous and destructive to man By them he judgeth the people He giveth meat in abundance Escam ad copium Heb. i. e. copiosum Here is the second effect wrought or produced by these creatures He giveth that is God giveth meat that is all kind of food and provision for the life both of man and beast and he giveth it in abundance He doth not give it scantly or nigardly in small portions and piâ—tances but in full measure pressed down heaped up and running over By them that is Dat escam multis mortalibus Hieron by the rain and by the wind c. God gives us our meat in abundance One translation saith He giveth meat to many that is to all Hence note First Our daily food is the gift of God He giveth meat No man gets his own bread unless God giveth it God must give it before we can get it Secondly note God is a free bountiful and liberal house-keeper He giveth meat in abundance he giveth to very many yea to all and he giveth very much he giveth meat to all the fowles of the Air and to all the fishes of the Sea to all men and beasts living on the earth they all receive food from God he giveth food to all flesh Psal 136.25 He filleth every living thing Psal 147.9 He giveth to the beast his food and feedeth the young ravens when they cry
Rain but in the winds theâ—efore I will reckon up seven wonders which peculiarly concern the winds First This is considerable Thâ—t there is scarce any Country but bâ—eeds some wind or other which blows most there and exerciseth a peculiar force upon it these are called Provincial Winds The North-west wind saith Plinie is proper to the Athenians other parts of Greece having little acquaintance with it The North-east wind afflicts Calabria And that several other winds are congenial to other Countries whereof some are benigne and favourable others vexatious and uncomfortable to them may be seen in the Authors quoted in the Margin Secondly 'T is a wonder that the same wind in one Country causeth fair weather in another rain and storms Thirdly That the same wind is in one place very healthy and in another causeth sickness by corrupting the air and so the blood and spirits of men A learned Author saith when ever the South wind bloweth in such a Country or City the people fall sick Fourthly That 's also observable that some winds are hot and dry others cold and moyst according to the temperature of the places from whence they come and thorough which they passe to us Fifthly 'T is marveilous that in some parts of the world the wind blows constantly one way such are called trade windes Expert Sea-men know where to fetch a wind when once they get to such a poynt they never miss it The Etesian winds are famously known in History blowing out of the East or North-east yearly at one time for the space of forty dayes together these Cicero called Anniversary winds Sixthly Yet in most places nothing is more unconstant than the wind inconstancy it self is Embleamed by the winds No man knoweth when or where to have them certain for an houre Hence we say Take the Wind while it serveth Wind and tyde tarry for no man Seventhly That 's also wonderfull That winds blow at once from contrary poynts North and South c. at the same time Daniel Chap. 7.2 saw in a vision the four Winds striving together upon the Sea All the winds were let loose together contending as it were for victory Naturalists dispute and question whether contrary winds can blow at once Arist l. 2. Met c. 6. Aristotle the great Philosopher affirmes they cannot because saith he the one must needs beat back the other That 's true yet what hinders but that for a time there may be such a conflict or battel fought between them as may extreamly trouble both the air and waters and shake vehemently such things as stand in their way on earth The Natural Historian reports Plin l. 2. cap 92. That two considerable Cities in the Corinthian Bay were suddenly swallowed up by the Sea which inundation was caused by the fierce blowing of the North and South wind at one and the same time Out of the South cometh the whirlwind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eventitare dispergere Per ventos dispergentes intelliguntur venti aquilonares qui dispergunt nubes et aerem ventilant And cold out of the North. The Hebrew is out of the scattering or fanning Winds cometh cold Mr Broughton renders And cold from the faire weather-Winds Our translation determines it Cold out of the North. Boreas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur quia gignit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serenitatem Honier Odyssâ—e Common experience teacheth us that the Northern coasts are cold yea the coldest coasts The eoldest freezing winds come out of the Noâ—th as the strongest out of the South Here is North and South and here are the several effects of them the South breaths warmth and the North cold Hence Note Cold comes at Gods call Now the South wind bloweth and then 't is warme anon the Nâ—â—th wind blows and then 't is cold God hath his special store-houses for heat and cold he brings cold out of his Northe n store-house and not only heat but whirlwinds out of his store-house in the South Cold is disposed of by God as heat is somtimes for the good somtimes for the hurt of the creature Cold is both needfull and hurtfull cold is needfull to the body of man and cold is needfull to the body of the earth therefore God hath that in his tâ—easure to seâ—ve the uses of man with Changes from heat to cold set forth First Gods power Secondly His care If the air were kept alwayes at one rate or in the same temper neither windy nor stoâ—my neither very hot nor very old we possibly would like it better but it would be worse for us Changes in â—he air are so usefull that nature could no â—be well preserved without them we would have all things alike we would have it alwayes warme weather alwayes faire but God seeth 't is best for us there should be changes in natural things for our natural good It is also best for our spiritual good to have providential changes God seeth it needfull to leave us somtimes under clouds and daâ—kness to bring cold as well as heat out of his treasures to send us chilling times as well as springing times cold is as good for our inner man as heat stormes as calmes foule weather as faire Now for a season saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.6 if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations The coldness of the air kills the weeds in our grounds Frigora tempestiva arborum et plantarum conferunt faecunditati Garc Meteor so doth the cold of affliction and tribulation the weeds of corruption in our souls Seasonable cold makes trees and plants more fruitfull in their seasons The cold nipping frosts of affliction dispose our souls through the blessing of God to a gracious fruitfulness in every good word and work We would alwayes have it spring and Sun-shine peace and safety but God knows it must be otherwise perpetual shining and faire seasons are reserved for Heaven While we are on Earth the cold of adversity is as advantagious to our spiritual condition as the coldness of the air is to ouâ— natural Out of the South cometh the whirlwind and cold out of the North. Vers 10th By the breath of God frost is given and the breadth of the waters is straitened In the former part of this verse we have the supream cause of frost and in the latter an effect of it By the breath of the Lord frost is given or he giveth frost by his breath The Hebrew is active we translate passively By the breath of the Lord. Flâ—â—â— deo i. e. deo ipsum flatum causante That is God breathing or blowing not that the Lord useth breathing or blowing properly he is a Spirit But the Lord is said to breath or blow when he commands the wind to blow or breath The winds are called Gods breaâ—h oâ— spirit Some of the Hebrew Doctors understand nothing else but his bare will and command or the intimation of his mind
water as well as in congealing those mighty floods oâ— water into icy rocks David celebrateth the power of God in this also Psal 147.18 He sendeth out his word and melteth them that is the morsels of ice spoken of vers 17. He causeth the wind a warm thawing wind to blow and the waters flow that iâ— those waters which were bound up by the cold flow away by heat Some insist much upon this translation It is of the Lord that the waters are enlarged or straitned frozen or dissolved I leave it with the Reader which to pitch upon both are safe and honourable to God and proceed to the next verse Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 composita est praepositione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo significatur irrigatio a verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irrigare Pisc Vers 11. Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud he scattereth his bright cloud There is a four-fold reading or exposition of the former part of this verse By watering he wearieth the thick cloud First thus For watering or that he may water the earth Cum tempus irrigandi terrant est cogit condensat nubes illasquo magna aquarum copia gravidas effiâ—it Inde apud Hometum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. nubium congregatur Jupiter Bold he wearieth the thick cloud that is he calleth up so much vapour as burdens or wearieth the thick Cloud that he may have sufficient for the watering of the earth by rain God causeth his vapour to ascend saith the Prophet Jer. 10.13 that is he draws up much water by vapors as the matter of clouds or as the matter out of which clouds are made and he fills the cloud so full of water that it can scarce bear the weight and all this he doâ—h for the plentiful watering of the earth Secondly thus He causeth the cloud to give out or spend its water till it be weary We say of any thing that is spent to the last it is tiâ—ed and wearied Thus the Lord by watering wearies the thick cloud commanding the clouds to pour rain upon the earth till they are tired till they have spent all their store Mercerus and cannot yeeld a drop more Yet because to water the earth is the most proper and natural business of the cloud therefore Thirdly A learned Expositor conceives that the cloud is not weâ—â—ied by watering or raining upon the earth but that on the contrary the cloud is said to be wearied or troubled when while it is about that work it is scattered or dispersed by the Sun or Wind. Fourthly Others refer this wearying of the cloud to the command which it receives for the watering of very remote parts of the earth The Lord saith to this or that cloud â—emove far off go and water such a Countrey it may be a hundred yea many hundred miles off the place from whence the vapou s were exhaled and there disburden thy self or fall down in showres When the Lord sends the cloud a long journey we may say 't is even wearied as a man or beast is that hath gone a long journey Frumenâ—um desiderat nubes Vulg. Cibus arborum imber est Plin. l. 17. cap. 2. I shall not trouble the reader with that wide interpretation of the Latine translator rendring thus The cloud desires corn or the cloud labours for corn that is to make the earth fruitful and bring forth abundance of corn Some of the Ancients have taught that there is a kind of natural marriage between the earth and the clouds or between the clouds and the corn or any other fruits of the earth Rain is the food of the earth that is of Fruits and Plants to which the Prophet Hos 2.22 makes an elegant allusion But I pass this The second interpretation I judge most congruous to the scope of the text which saith clearly Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud Whence note Those creatures which have greatest stores to give may quickly have none left to give Here is a cloud and a thick cloud Elihu doth not speak of an ordinary but of a thick cloud yet upon the Lords command to give showres the cloud is quite spent and wearied Though men have the greatest affluence the largest stores and stockâ— of wealth or riches yea of gifts and graces yet they may be wearied and even drawn dry The thickest clouds that is they who have the greatest treasures of strength of wit of learning and knowledge are soon wearied exhausted and emptied unless they live in dependance upon God Only God himself can never be wearied by watering How much soever God giveth out to us he is not at all emptied but remaines everlastingly equally full And if God will speak to the meanest creature even to that which seemeth most empty it shall water others and not be wearied The thick clouds they who have much may be spent while he that hath but a little shall not be spent The Prophet said to the poor woman 1 King 17.14 The oyl in the cruse and the meal in the barrel shall not waste The woman might draw out of the oyl as long as she would and still there would be a supply of oyl nor would the barrel be weary in yeelding meal The Lord can make the creature unweaâ—ied and establish it to us for good A full cloud will soon drop away if the Lord forbear supplies and a few drops shall be as an eveâ—lasting spring where the Lord gives out supplies We may alâ—o allude to that 2 King 4.2 There was a poor widow and the creditors were ready to seize her two sons for bondmen and saith she I have nothing but a little pot of oyl and what will that do towards payment Well saith the Prophet Go borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours even empty vessels borrow not a few and thou shalt draw out of the pot and the pot of oyl shall not be wearied by giving oyl into the vessels God speaking to the pot of oyl it yeelded a continued supply the oyl never ceased till the woman had not a vessel to receive it If God saith to the least pittance of temporals which a man hath in this world hold out it shall not fail nor be weary 't is so likewise in spiri uals the Lord can make a little grace hold out the thinnest cloud shall not be wearied by watering Again By watering he wearieth the thick cloud that is God giveth out showres to water the earth abundantly Hence note God is very free and liberal He will empty the thick cloud upon the earth to make it fruitful He gives not only a few drops but abundance and this is most true in spiâ—ituals How doth the Lord showre down and empty even whole clouds of good things upon the soul as he hath promised so he once did and still doth sometimes and will moâ—e in the last times poure out the Spirit which is an
influences of the heavens and the increase oâ— the earth though the seed time be great â—he harvest shall be small again ye eat and then sure they weâ—e satisfied no saith the Prophet ye eat but ye have not enough which not only implyeth that they had not enough to eat though that might be a truth but that though they did eat enough yet there was not a nutritive vertue in the meat it did not content oâ— satisfie the stomack â—enue their strength He adds ye drink but are not fiâ—â—ed with drink which also implyeth not only that they had but â— little to drink but thaâ— their drink was not comfortable oâ— thiâ—st-quenching to them Lasâ—ly which is the instance of the text Ye cloath you but there is no warmth What was the reason of all â—his That they did eat and had not enough drink and were not filled put on cloathing and were not warme The text gives answer v. 9. Because I did blow upon it or blow it away that is I sent out a curse which blasted all your creature injoyments and blowed away the comforts and usual efficacy of them so that ye had only a shel without a kernel or only skin and bones without the marrow and fatness of all my favour and blessing That our cloaths warm us as well as that our meat and drink nourish us is from the blessing of God Fourthly When he saith Knowest thou how thy garments are warm Note Man cannot give a full account or reason of common things or of his dayly comforts and enjoyments What 's more common than for a man to wear garments what then to find his garments warm upon him or himself warm in his garments and why a mans cloaths warm him we need not go to enquire of a great Philosopher any man any common man can give or assign a cause of it Yet there is some-what in it beyond natural causes which few take any notice of and none can sufficiently or fully apprehend Second causes produce their effects the temperature of the air is a cause of warmth and the garments we wear warm us by exciting and drawing out the congenial warmth within us yet Elihu puts on the question further than that Quum tranquilla est terra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plerumque intransitivè usurpater Pisc Ameridâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mericies quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habitatio olta quod Sol inâ—sto plaga altius incedat Knowest thou how thy garments are warm When he quieteth the earth with the South Wind Or as some translate When the earth is quiet by the South Wind. Mr. Broughton reads when the land is still The original is only the South When he quieteth the earth or when the earth iâ— quiet by the South that is when gentle windes or briezes blow from the Southern parts The word rendâ—ed South or South wind comes from a root signifying an high habitation because the Sun is highest when 't is in the South that 's its Meridian or high both elevation and habitation And as when the Sun cometh into the South 't is in its highest elevation above us so 't is hottest in opperation upon us Quiescit ab austro dum non flagellatur ab austro procelloso Loc. vide eum So that by the South he meaneth the Spring and Summer time when the Sun makes his Southern progress And because usually our garments are warmest upon us when the South wind bloweth therefore we render it by the South wind The South wind sometimes bringeth stoâ—mes as was shewed at the 9th verse Out of the South cometh the Whirlwind but mostly the South wind bringeth a calm and heat Luke 12.55 When ye see saith Christ the South wind â—low ye say there will be heat and it cometh to pass As the North wind uâ—â—ally blowes cold so the South wind usually blowes hot oâ— bâ—ingeth heat Here 's a natuâ—al cause of warmth the quieting of the earth by the South wind Bâ—t is the earth at any time unquiet If not why is it said he quieteth the earth Heâ—e by the earth we are to understand that part of the Air whiâ—h is nearest to the Earth Terra est 〈◊〉 prâ—â— inquâ—â— terrae Pisc The Earth taken strictlâ— is noâ— unquiet but the Air in which we who are upon the Eaâ—th breath the wind blowing is unquiet and stormy and when God commands down the storm and sends a calm he is said to quiet the Earth So then by the Earth we are to understand the Air immediately compassing us who dwell and move upon the Earth and God quieteth the earth with the South or South wind when we on earth are quiet and quit from troublesom or tempestuous weather Hence note The natural quietness of the Air which we have on Earth is of God When there are no stoâ—mes nor blustring winds in the Air God shews both his power and goodness he then quieteth the Earth we are to acknowledge God in it and bless him for iâ— when the Earth is quiet The diâ—ciples Matth. 8.26 being in a great storm at Sea and f a ing the Vâ—ssel would be over-set and that they should perish in the Waters Châ—ist sâ—id to the Sea Peace be stâ—ll and presently the e was a great calm He that quiets the Sea quiets the Earth too Christ hath câ—lmes or peaceable winds as well as stormes and stormy winds at his dispoâ—e And if the natural quietness of the Earth be the work of God then much more is the civil quietness of it God alone giveth quietness among men he maketh them of one House and them of one Nation to livâ— quiâ—t When there are no winds no tempestuous winds blowing in the skie there may be stoâ—mes and tempests in the Spirits of men and when there is a tempest within only he who formes the spirit of man within him Zech. 12.1 can keep it from breaking out There are civil storms as well as natural and the former are much more troublesome and dangerous than the latte God raiseth those stoâ—mes in judgment He sent an evil Spirit betweeâ— Abimâ—lech and the men of Sichem Judg. 9.23 That is be either gave Satan â—he greâ—â— master of mis-â—ule leave to kindle jealousies â—nimosities between their or he gave them up to tâ—eir own evil curious and malicious spiâ—iâ—s which burried them or 〈◊〉 thei◠〈◊〉 vexation and destruction now as God raiseth 〈◊〉 storms in judgment so he either pâ—evenâ—s or rebukes them in mercy It is God who quiets both the spirits of Princes in governing and the spiâ—its of people in submitting and obeying He hath a South wind some benigne and favouâ—able wind which he breathes upon the childâ—en of men and thâ—n they aâ—e quiet and then all 's quiet God being quiet towards Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia that is well-pleased with and favourable unto man he quiets all things If the Loâ—d do but say the word what storm what tempest what
designes through all the world He will carry them through against all Psal 92.8 9. Thou Lord art most high for evermore Lo thine enemies shall perish thine enemies who would hinder thy work they shall certainly fall Christ is called The first and the last He saith St John Rev. 1.17 laid his right hand upon me and said fear not I am the first and the last Why should he not fear what did Christ offer to cure him of his fear Christ doth not give him a bare disswasive Fear not but a rational ground why he should not fear Fear will not be blown away with a breath Our passions are never truly quieted nor attempered but by reason Upon what ground then would Christ take off Johns fear even upon this in the Text I am the first and the last As if he had said John why doest thou fear knowest thou not who I am what a Lord and Master thou servest Why John I tell thee I am the first and the last and therefore thou mayest be sure I will do my work and none shall lett me John had wonderfull things in vision shall all these be done thought he yea saith Christ Fear not I will carry on my designes all the designes that Christ had in the world were then in vision Eternity triumphs over all difficulties The Eternall will see the last man born as we say he will have the last word and the last blow I am the first and the last Lastly From this Consideration of God let us take a prospect of our selves what poor short-lived short-breathed Creatures we are There is no searching out the number of the years of God but we may quickly search out the number of our own years our life is but a span long Psal 39.5 yea our age is nothing before God Did we consider the eternity of God what should we judge of our span-long life we are said to be of yesterday Some expresse man thus He is yesterday as if he were not to day but were already past while he is The best that can be said of him is this he is but of yesterday and possibly he shall not have a to morrow but the Lord is for ever and ever the same And though we are short-lived as to this world though our years may soon be told over yet let us remember that God hath called us to the participation of eternity though we have not the eternity of God which is without beginning yet we shall have an eternity from God without end every man is everlasting as to his soul The godly shall be blessed for ever and there is an eternal estate of wo and misery to the wicked the number of the years of their sorrows and sufferings who live and die without Christ cannot be searched out The number of the years of the joy and blessedness and rest and happiness and tranquility of those that believe of those that are faithfull of those that are godly of those that walk with and fear God I say the number of the years of their joy and happiness cannot be searched out neither No man can number or tell how long-lasting the felicity of Saints shall be As the number of the years of God cannot at all be searched out so he hath given man as to his future estate a numberless number of years And it were well if we who enjoy this life and are dying every moment would often consider there is a life coming which will never die the number of our years also in that sense cannot be searched out The thoughts of eternity should swallow up all our time yet alass how doth time or the things which are but temporary swallow up in most men the thoughts of eternity What-ever we do in time should be to fit us for eternity yet alass most use their time so as if they did not believe or at least hoped there would not be any such thing as eternity Did we but spend two or three minutes of time every day in the serious remembrance of our eternal estate it would be an effectual means to make us both holy in and contented with what-ever temporal estate we meet with in this world We should be earnestly searching after God all our dayes did we consider what it imports to us that the number of his years cannot be searched out Thus Elihu labours to draw Job to the consideration of God himself who is the Author of those great providential works both of those he had spoken of before the works of providence ordering men here in civils as also of those works of providence in natural things of which he comes to treat largely both in the latter part of this Chapter and in most of the next Where we shall find Elihu giving us as iâ— were a Systeme or body of natural Philosophy in his discourse about the wonderfull works of God which he is calling Job to consider JOB Chap. 36. Vers 27 28. 27. For he maketh small the drops of water they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof 28. Which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly ELlihu having shewed the greatness of God himself in the former verse proceeds to shew the greatness of his wo ks he had done it before as to Civil Administrations and the ordering of humane affaires in casting down and lifting up the sons of men he doth it now in natural things or in ordering the motions of nature still in reference unto man He describes the greatness of the works of God aloft or above in the Aire and in the Clouds as he had before described the greatness of his works here below on the Earth The whole remainder of Elihu's speech in this Chapter and to the end of the 37th is spent in a philosophical discourse about the Meteors and those various operations and changes that are wrought in the Aire he discourseth of Rain of Thunder and Lightning of Snow and Winds from all which works of God in Nature Elihu would convince Job of the Justice and Righteousness of God as well as of his power which was his chief purpose He begins this philosophical Lecture or Lecture of divine Philosophy with the Rain in the two verses now read and he mingles much of that matter in this and the following Chapter He speaks here I say of the Rain which is a dispensation of God usually both very profitable comfortable what more profitable or more comfortable than the rain It is also a dispensation of God sometimes very dreadfull and hurtfull The Lord sends the very same Creature upon contrary services sometimes for good sometimes for evill aâ— one time as a blessing and at another as a curse to the inhabitants of the earth What Elihu speaks of the Rain in this Chapter may be reduced to five heads First He sheweth the manner of it's formation and generation v. 27 28. Secondly The vastness or huge extent of the vessels containing it which are the clouds
of the aire spreading themselves all the Heavens over v. 29. Thirdly He tells us of the sudden changes and successions of rain and faire weather of a cloudy and serene sky v. 30. Fourthly He sets forth the different purposes of God in dispensing the rain which are sometimes for judgement someâ—imes for mercy v. 31 32. Fifthly He intimates the Prognosticks of it or what are the signes and foreâ—unners or foretellers of it v. 33. The two verses under-hand hold out the first poynt the formation and generation of the rain Vers 27. He maketh small the drops of water That is God as it were coynes and mints out the water into drops of rain As a mighty masse of gold or silver is minted out into small pieces so a huge body of water is minted out into small drops that 's the sum of these words according to our rendring The Hebrew word rendred He maketh small hath a two-fold signification and that hath caused a three-fold translation of these words First It signifieth to take away oâ— to withdraw according to this signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ademit substraxit a two-fold power of God is held forth about the drops of water First Substraxit deâ—u stillas aquâ—rum scâ— ex mari fluminiâ—us â—â— loc is humidis quae fundunt pluviam ad nubeni ejus Haustus vapor ex aqua cogitur in nubem quae dainde sundit pluviam Merl Qui ausert stillas pluviae Vulg. The power of God in drawing the water up from the Earth to make rain for that in Nature as we shall see afterwards is the cause of â—ain God draws up the water from the Earth which he sends down upon the Earth he draws up the vapours and the vapours become a Cloud and the Cloud is dissolved into rain Secondly The word may very well expresse according to other texts of Sc ipture the putting forth of the power of God in stopping staying keeping back and with-holding rain from the eaâ—â—h when â—od hath drawn water from the earth he can hold it frâ—m the eaâ—â—h as long as he pleaseth The Chaldee Pa aphrase saith He forbids the drops to water the earth or he sends forth a proh bition to the clouds that they give no water The vulgar Latine speaks to the same sence who takes away drops of rain that is from the earth Mr. Broughton renders he withdraws dropping of water In this sence I find the word rendred expresly Numb 9.7 where certain persons are brought in by Moses thus complaining Wherefore are we kept back that we may not offer an offering to the Lord with the children of Israel It is a case there were some it seems suspended from bringing their offerings to the Lord and they demand a reason of it to give which Moses saith stand still and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you But I quote that scripture only for the force of the word wherefore are we kept back or with held which was for some uncleanness Thus you have the first signification of the word and a double translation upon it both very pertinent to the nature of the rain and the Lords dealing with man in it which is the subject Elihu is insisting upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—nuit diminuis Secondly The original word signifies to diminish or lessen or make a thing small so 't is rendred Exod. 5.8 when the children of Israel complained that they were oppressed in making brick This commandement came from Pharaoh The tale of bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them you shall not diminish ought of it It is this word Again Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add to the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it Man must not make the word of God smaller or greater than it is 'T is high presumption to use either subtraction from or addition to the word of God Thus also the word is used in the case of second or double marriages Exod. 21.10 If he take him another wife her food that is the food of the first wife her raiment and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish Our translators take up this sense of the word as noting the diminishing of a thing in the quantity of it He maketh small the drops of water or he makes the water fall in small drops whereas if the water were left to it self it would poure down like a sea or like a flood to sweep all away This is the work of God and though it be a common yet it is a wonderful work He maketh small the drops of rain A drop is a small thing and therefore the Prophet when he would shew what a small thing or indeed what a nothing man is yea all the nations of the earth are to God saith Isa 40.15 The nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance Behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing The Spirit of God piâ—cheth upon this comparison when he would set forth that great distance between God and man Man is but a drop to God But are not all drops small why then doth he say He maketh small the drops The reason is because though all drops are smâ—ll yet some drops are smaller than others and we read of great drops in the Gospel History of Christs agony in the Garden which was an immediate suffering in his soul from the hand of his Father pressing him with that weight of wrath which was due for our sins Luke 22.44 He sweat as it were great drops of blood As God made Christ sweat great drops of blood for our sins so he makes the Clouds to sweat small drops of water for our comfort He maketh small The drops of rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guttavit guttatim fluxit The Verb of this Substantive is used Joel 3.18 In those dayes it shall come to pass that the mountaines shall drop down new wine by which we are to understand the plentiful effusion of the Spiâ—it promised in the latter dayes David describing the Lords glorious march thorow the wilderness saith Psal 68.8 9. The earth shâ—ok the heavens also dropped at the presence of the Lord thou O God didst send a plentiful rain whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary Which Scripture principally intends the spiriâ—ual rain which drops down upon believers and refresheth their wearied souls And therefore by a Metaphor this phrase to drop signifies to prophesie or preach the word of God because that like rain falls silently Sâ—binde Praeceptuci auriâ—ulis hoc instillare memento Horat. Lib. 1. lip 8. and as it were in drops upon the hearers it falls in at the ear and soaks down to the heart it soaks quite thorow as Moses spake Deut. 32.2 My dâ—ctrine shall drop as the rain and my speech shall destil as the dew And as the word is used
in Prophesies of mercy and instruction so of judgment and desolation Thus the Lord charged his Prophet Ezek. 20.46 Son of man set thy face towards the south and drop thy words towards the south and propheâ—â—e against the forest of the south field Again Ezek. 21.2 Son of man set thy face towards Jerusalem and dâ—op thy words towards the holâ— place and prophesie agaâ—nst the land of Israel Once more Amos 7.16 Drop noâ— thy word against the house of Isaac So thaâ— I say this dropping is usâ—d frequently as in a natural so in a spiritual sence He maketh small the drops Of water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forma duali significantur aquae duplices The word is of the Dual Number in the Hebrew and so it signifies both sorts of water the waters of heaven and the waters of the earth the upper and the nether waters the â—pper waters in the Clouds and the nether waters in the Springs We find them spoken of together in the first of Genesis at the 7th verse God divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament We find the upper waters spoken of singly Psal 104.3 Who layest the beams of the chambers in the waters Chambers are above And in the first of Genesis at the 9th verse we find the lower waters alone Let the waters be gathered together under the heavens Rabbi Selo exponit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multiplicat quia dum ita guttatim aquae decidunt multiplicantur Merc. Under-heaven waters are the lower waters One of the Rabbies renders the words thus He multiplieth the drops of rain and the reason of it is which falls in with our translation because the less any one thing is made the more is the general mass out of which it is made multiplied From the words thus far opened we may note somewhat for our instruction Taking the former signification of the words He draweth up the drops of water Observe The ordinary rain which watereth the earth is first fetched from the earth Plavia est vapor calidus humidus ex aquis locis humidis virtute Solis Stellarum usque ad mâ—diam aeris regionem elevatus ibi propteâ— loci frigiditatem in nubem condensatus c. Garc. de Meteorol part 2. cap. 25. God raiseth vapours from the earth and then watereth the earth with them All the rain which falls upon the earth was raised from the earth If I were to answer that question in nature What is Rain I might resolve it thus Rain is the moisture of the earth drawn up by the heat of the Sun into the middle Region of the Air which being there condensed into clouds is afterwards at the will of God dissolved and dropt down again in showers The Clouds at the command of God hold fast and at his command they break and let out their waters upon the earth This is as was toucht before a very ordinary yet a very admirable work of God As in spirituals all those acts of grace in faith and love and joy c. by which our hearts and souls are carried up to heaven come first from heaven so that rain which comes down upon us from heaven was first fetched from among us by the mighty power of God Rain according to natural Philosophy is thus generated The water and moisture of the earth being attenuated by the heat of the Sun-beams become vapours which being so rarified and resolved into an airy substance are by the same heat of the Sun drawn up to the middle region of the air where being again condensed or thickened into water they melt down into rain at the appointment of God We may consider rain briefly in all the causes of it Thus First The efficient cause of rain is God Secondly The instrumental cause is the heat of the Sun Thirdly The material cause is the moisture of the Sea and watery Land Fourthly The final cause of it is 1. Supream the glory of God 2. Subordinate and that threefold First the benefit Secondly the punishment Thirdly the instruction of man Secondly From that other signification of the word as it notes withdrawing or keeping back upon which some insist much Observe God when he pleaseth can with-hold the water or the rain He can give a stop to the rain and then the clouds yeeld us no more water than a stone He with-holds the drops of water The Lord threateneth the Vineyard with this stop Isa 5.6 I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it which is true of a natural and proper Vineyard and of proper natural rain though it be meant there of the people of God whom he metaphorically or improperly calleth his Vineyard and the rain there intended is the rain of instruction usually falling upon them Now as God doth often forbid the showers of the word that they fall no more upon a people as he sends forth a prohibition to stop the spiritual rain so he also stops and prohibits the natural rain Amos 4.7 8. I have with-holden the rain from you when there was yet three moneths to the harvest and I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city one piece was rained upon and the piece whereupon it rained not withered so two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water but were not satisfied Thus in case of disobedience to his divine Law the Lord threatened to stop the common Law of nature and to make the heavens brass and the earth iron Deut. 28.23 And when the heavens are brass that is when they yeeld no more moisture than brass then the earth is as iron that is it yeelds no more food for the sustentation of man or beast than a bar of iron doth Such stops the Lord hath often put upon the courses of nature and can do again when he pleaseth though I believe he never did nor ever will do so but when highly displeased and provoked by the sin of man Take two or three inferences from it First If the rain or drops of water come not in their season let us acknowledge the hand of God It is God that hath lockt up the clouds when-ever they are lockt up God hath forbidden the clouds to let down their rain when-ever they with-hold it Men and Devils can no more stop the rain than make it Secondly When we want rain let us go to God for it 'T is the prerogative of God alone to help us in that streight and therefore the holy prophet sends a chalenge to all other powers or declares them disabled for this help Jer. 14.22 Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain or can the heavens give showers neither the one nor the other can The heavens cannot dispose of a drop though they possesse a sea of water God must hear the heaven before the heavens can
thing that moves upon it and grows out of it to rejoyce Fifthly sometimes drowns the earth and destroys the Inhabitants of it As I say the natural rain doth all these things so also doth the spiritual rain the word of God That First mollifieth Secondly cleanseth Thirdly fructifieth Fourthly comforteth the hearts of all those that receive it and Fifthly The rain of the word drowns and destroys all those that rise up against it or will not receive it JOB Chap. 36. Vers 29 30 31. 29. Also can any understand the spreadings of the Clouds or the noise of his Tabernacle 30. Behold he spreadeth his light upon it and covereth the bottom of the sea 31. For by them he judgeth the people he giveth meat in abundance ELihu having spoken of the wonderfull work of God in forming and sending rain in the two former verses speaks next of the Clouds which are as vessels containing the rain and in which the rain is carried and conveighed up and down the world for the use of man or for those services to which God hath appoynted it He begins with a denying Question Vers 29. Also can any understand the spreading of the Clouds As if he had said To what I said before I adde this Here is another secret in nature Can any understand the spreading of the Clouds He doth not say can vulgar ignorant and unlearned persons understand but can any Can the wisest can the most learned Can the best studied Philosophers understand the spreading of the Clouds Can they understand That is they cannot understand But have not men especially learned men understanding enough to ascend the clouds and discover the nature of them Surely their understandings are very mean or very much clouded who understand not what the spreading of the clouds meaneth I answer though Elihu's question hath a negation in it yet not a total negation 〈◊〉 doth not exclude the understanding of men wholly out of 〈◊〉 clâ—uds he only denieth man a full understanding of all thin◠〈…〉 â—ch concern either the nature or motion of the clouds Wh◠〈◊〉 understand much about the spreading of the clouds but they cannot understand all The best of godly men undeâ—stand not much or see but a little way into spiritual things And the wisest of worldly men do not cannot see all in natural things Can any understand The spreading of the Clouds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expansiones vel differentias nubium cum aliae steriles sint aliae pluviam aliae grandinem mitâ—ant Sed reclius expansiones vertitur Merc Here are First the Clouds Secondly the spreading of them The word which we translate spreading hath a two-fold signification First with the alteration only of a poynt upon one letter it signifieth The difference of things in any kinde And then the Text is read Can any understand the difference of the Clouds that is the variety that is among the clouds The clouds are not all of a likeness nor all of a bigness there are clouds of many sorts and sizes there are clouds which breed snow and clouds which breed haile clouds which breed raine and clouds which breed thunder and lightning Some clouds are empty called clouds without raine or water Pro. 25.14 Jude v. 12. and other clouds are full of water There is a difference also of clouds as to our sight and view some are black some white some red some are greenish others palish clouds from which various colours and appearances Prognosticks are made of the change of weather as Christ told the Pharisees Mat. 16.2 3. Naturalists observe very many differences in the clouds nor is it without wonder that the clouds which are made all of one matter vapours drawn from below should produce such and so many different effects that according to this reading we have reason to put the question Who can understand the differences of the Clouds We read it and that well and full to the Hebrew Text Who can â—nderstand the spreading of the Clouds or their expansion The most cunning and knowing men in the mysteries of nature caâ—not either tell how far the clouds will spread or to what poynt and part of the world they will convey their water and as I may say unburden themselves Thus the words refer back to the two former verses The Clouds are spread as a Curtain or as a piece of Tapestry or as a mighty Canopy Who can understand the spreading of them The spreading of them First as they carry raine or Secondly the spreading of them as some expound the place as they convey the Lightening which the Scripture saith Math. 24.27 Passeth from one end of heaven to the other from the East to the West who knoweth how far the Lightning will spread in the Clouds Thus some connect it with the following verse Who can understand the spreading Of the Clouds There is a special derivation of the word rendred Clouds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nubes a densitate est crassamentum aâ—â—is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stillare vel a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cadere from the Hebrew Greek and Latine all pretending to the nature of the Clouds The Hebrew word properly noteth the thickness or grossness of the Clouds the Greek word noteth the dropping nature of the Clouds being derived from a roote which signifieâ—h to drop or which is near the fame to descend the roote word signifying to fall the Latine word is taken from covering because the Clouds mask or cover the face of Heaven and often hide and screine the shining of the Sun from us Now because Elihu is upon a work of nature and insists upon it all along in the next Chapter I shall therefore to clear the matter propose and answer three Questions concerning the Clouds First What is a Cloud or what is the nature of the Clouds A cloud is a moist vapour drawn up from the earth or water by the heat of the Sun into the middle region of the Aire as Naturalists divide the Aire where being by the coldness of the place congealed and as it were knit together it hangeth and continueth there till it be broken up at the dispose of God and sent down for the comfort or correction of man in raine snow haile c. The clouds of heaven derive their pedigree from the moisture found on earth and to the earth they return their moisture Secondly Seeing the Clouds are such mighty bodies and contain as I may say whole seas of water in them and water being a heavy body naturally descends or tends downward as all heavy things do it may be questioned and indeed it is a wonder how those Clouds are kâ—pt aloft in the Aire how comes it to pass that such heavy bodies such floods of water do not presently fall violently and at once shed themselves down upon and overwhelme the earth To that I answer First Some say the Clouds are kept up by that natural inbred heat
or warmth which is included in them or that they are kept up by the superiour heat of the Sun and Stars which first drew them up Secondly Others say these mighty Clouds are held up by the wind which keeping them in perpetual motion they fall not they descend noâ— but according to a divine order by which they are disposed of to several uses Thirdly Others ascribe it to the hollowness or spunginess of their nature which receiving and taking in the thin aire they are more easily kept up But when we have searched to the utmost for reasons in nature we must rise higher and resolve the question according to Scripture and divine Philosophy into the power and will of God The holding up of the Clouds is Gods work as well as the raising of them up He gave this law or command unto the Clouds in the day of their creation that they should not fall down nor distill a drop but by his own commandement and appoyntment Thus we find it expressed by Moses in his description of the creaâ—ion Gen. 1.6 Let the firmament that is Zanch de operibus dei â— 2. c. 1. the aire the inferiour aire next to the middle region divide the waters from the waters Here is a divine sanction there are waters above and waters below And saith God Let the firmament divide the waters from the waters that is those waters that are drawn up into Clouds in the aire a provision for Raine c. let them be kept above and divided from the Sea and waters that dwell below Thus there was a Law at first to keep quarter as I may say between those waters And Solomon speaking of the eternal Son of God of his co-eternity with the Father brings him under the name of Wisdome speaking thus of himself I was with him when he did this and that and among the rest Prov. 8.28 When he established the Clouds above that is when God made a Decree that the Clouds should stay above and not come down but at his call So 't is expressed Job 26.8 God bindeth up the waters in the thick Cloud and the Cloud is not rent under them 'T is not of it self that the Cloud having such a weight in it doth not rent and break but saith God it shall not Pro. 30.4 He hath bound the waters in a garment But what is the garment His own decree and puâ—pose is the garment which bindeth up the waters For as the waters of the Sea are bounded by the Decree of God Job 38.11 So likewise the waters in the aire are bound up by his Decree Psal 148.4 6. Praise him ye heaven of heavens and ye waters which are above the heavens he hath established tâ—em for ever and hath made a decree which shall not pass He hath established the waters which are above the heavens aswel as the waters below the heavens he hath established them by a decree like that of the Medes and Persians which shall not be disanulled So then here 's the answer to this second question How it comes to pass that the Clouds containing such floods of water which is an heavy body do not descend and overwhelm the earth This is by the power and decree or by the powerful decree of God who hath caused such a weak and thin substance as the Clouds made up only of Vapours to hold those mighty waters close and keep them prisoners that not a spoonful shall shed forth till himself pleaseth The Clouds as some have well expressed it are like spunges filled with water and till God layeth his hand upon the Clouds that is till he gives a word and as I may say squeezeth or presseth them by his providence as we squeez a spung full of water the waters fall not Thus we see the reason why Elihu makes so great a matter of the spâ—eading of the Clouds and why the waters fall not presently together nor presently drop out of them but in their season A third Querie concerning the Clouds may be this Why are they placed above What is their use I answer The use of the Clouds may be considered two ways first there is a natural secondly a spiritual use of them First there is a natural use of them and that is twofold First That they may contain water in a readiness to moisten and fatten the earth Stores and treasures of rain are kept in them to supply the necessities of all earthly creatures Secondly The natural use of the Clouds is to attemper the the heat of the air and to be as a Curtain or Screen between us and the Sun If the Sun should alwayes shine fully upon the earth we were not able to abide it but the Clouds coming between do exceedingly qualifie and moderate the heat and fierceness of the Sun These besides others are their natural uâ—es And if we look into the Scripture we shall find many spiritual and gracious uses for which God hath made the Clouds First God hath set his Bow in the Clouds as a token of his favour unto mankind as a token of his general favour that he will not drown the world again Gen. 9.14 15. And it shall come to pass when I bring a Cloud over the Earth that the Bow shall be seen in the Cloud and I will remember my Covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh This is alluded to by the Prophet Isa 54.9 as a token of the special favour of God to his People that he will never break Covenant with them When Believers see his Bow in the Cloud they may be as well assured that they shall be freed from a deluge of wrath as that the world shall not be overwhelmed again with a deluge of waters Secondly We find the Lord making use of a Cloud or using the ministery of a Cloud in a gâ—acious way for the conducting of his People out of Egypt quite through the Wilderness unto Canaan That I grant was more than an ordinary Cloud and lower and nearer the earth than usually Clouds are yet it was doubtless of the same nature with other Clouds Exod. 13.21 Neh. 9.19 And therefore when the Pâ—ophet would assure the Church of guidance and protection he tells them Isa 3.5 The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by day and the shining of the flaming Fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence And we at this day may make this spiritual use accoâ—ding to Scripture of the Clouds which we behold as to mind us how the Loâ—d both protected and guided the People of Israel through the wilderness so to assure us that he will protect and guide us through the World Christ is this Cloud a covering protecting Cloud unto his Church and we may sweetly meditate upon him not only when we behold the Sun but as
often as we behold the clouds Further As Christ serves his Church like a Cloud so the Clouds have done and shall do many services to Christ A bâ—ight Cloud overshadowed Christ in his transfiguration Mat. 17.5 A Cloud received him out of the Apostles sight at his ascension Act. 1.9 and he shall come again in the Clouds to judgment Mat. 24.30 Luke 21.27 He is also represented sitting upon a white Cloud Rev. 14.14 Thirdly The spirit of God gives us another gracious use of and meditation upon the Clouds that as often as we see thick and black Clouds which threaten a grievous stoâ—m scattered and the air cleared this should put us in mind of the abundant grace of God pardoning our sin Isa 44.22 I have blotted as a thick Cloud thy transgression and as a Cloud thy sins False and faithless Ministers are called Clouds without water Jude v. 12. And the faithful Ministers of the Gospel flee as a Cloud to water Souls as the converted Gentiles are said to flee as doves to the windows Isa 60.8 There are not only natural but spiritual uses and improvements to be made of the Clouds as often as we behold them and the Scripture in many places leads and points us to such meditations It is said of Luther that once beholding a great Cloud that promised or had a great appearance of rain in a time of drought blown away and dispelled without yeelding one drop of rain to refresh the earth he turned to some of his friends and said Such are the Promises of the world Men said he Tales sunt promissiones mundi make great and fair promises pretending much good and good-will to those to whom they are made which yet vanish and come to nothing and concluding his observation upon the deceitful appearance of the Cloud added the words of Solomon Prov. 25.14 Who so boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds without rain Such especially are all false teachers they if any boast themselves of a false gift that is they either pretend to a gift which they have not or they pretend their gift is of Christ when it is not these are like Clouds without rain or as the text in the Epistle of Jude even now mentioned calls them they are Clouds without water carried about of winds that is which way so ever the wind of outward respects and advantages bloweth they are carried So much for answer to those three questions about the Clouds Who can understand the spreading of the Clouds Hence note First Even natural things exceed the reach of mans understanding How much more do spiritual things the mysteries of Grace Nichodemus was a knowing man a Master in Israel yet how simply did he speak when Christ proposed to him and presented him with the necessity of a new-birth Nor hath a natural man a clearer insight in any other Gospel mystery 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spiritual judgeth or discerneth all things that is he hath a principle of spiritual understanding whereby he is able to make a right judgment of all things necessary to his own edification and salvation Again If the natural things which God hath made the spreading of the Clouds exceed our understanding then how much more doth God himseâ—f who made them Who can understand the spreadings of God the immensity of God the eternity the omnipotency the infinity of God That 's the thing Elihu chiefly aimes at in all this discourse While he poseth Job and all men in the natural works of God he would convince Job and all men that neither he was not any man is able to comprehend the equity and righteousness of his proceeding in the darker wayes of Providence And this he did because Job had too often upon the matter called God to answer asking why it was so instead of a silent submission to what he did not understand nor could see the reason of Further consider this particular in nature The spreading of the Clouds We see the Clouds every day and we see their spreadings that 's common and obvious to the eye yet saith Elihu who can understand these spreadings There is a greater latitude in the Clouds than we imagine and if we cannot fully understand the things which we see how can we understand what we see not Who apprehends the true greatness of the Clouds the greatness of the Moon the greatness of the Stars the greatness of the Sun all which our eyes behold We can neither understand by our eye nor by the rules and reports of the greatest Astronomers the true magnitude or greatness of those heavenly visible bodies who then can take the true dimension if I may so speak of things invisible Who can understand the spreading of the Clouds Or the noise or noises of his Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonuit perstrepuit denotat sonitum tumultus bellici Rab. Shelâ— Thâ— word notes a dreadful noiâ—e a noise with a tumult such a noise as is made when ruine and desolation cometh upon a place such a noise as the Prophet describeth in a time of war Moab shall die with a tumult Amos 2.2 Who can understand the â—â—ise of his tabernacle This noise may be expounded two wayes First Of thunder-claps When Clouds are discharged their thunder-bolts like cannon bullets rattle through the air Who can understand this noise of his tabernacle As no man can at all understand the thunder of his power Chap. 26.14 so not the All of his powerful thunder This is a truth and the text may well take in that noise the noise of the thunder But because Elihu speakes professedly and expresly of thunder in the next Chapter vers 4. therefore I conceive the noise of his tabernacle here may be some-what else or less than that of thunder that is the noise of the winds breaking out from the tabernacle of God What a busseling noise what an out-cry as I may say the winds make we all know especially when they become stormes and are not only winds but tempests There are sweet gentle gales of wind which make but a little murmur or whisper in the air we can scarce hear their voice but some winds roar some winds come little short of thunder for noise and lowdness and I suppose Elihu chiefly intends this noise by The noise Of his tabernacle But what is the tabernacle of God I answer That word Tabernacle is often used in the Old Testament properly it signifieth a tent in war a military mansion a flitting habitation or portable house having no fixed or setled seat The tabernacle under the Law was the place appointed by God for publick worship Tabernaculuâ— hi◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur unde Fesâ—tum Sucâ—oth i. e. Tâ—bernaculorum We read also of the Feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23.34 at which solemn Feast the Jews dwelt seven dayes in tents to put
the true knowledge of Jesus Christ and to encourage the faithfull dispencers and professors of it both by your favour and example worshiping the Lord in the beauty of holiness If any should ask Why is the Lord to be so worshipped why must he have such high honours from those that are high what doth he in the World which calls for such adoration David answers Meteorologically as well as Theologically he answers from the Clouds vers 3. The Voyce of the Lord is upon the Waters the God of glory thundreth the Lord is upon many Waters The voyce of the Lord is powerful the voyce of the Lord is full of Majesty As if he had said Although the Lord Jesus Christ will not set up an outward pompous political Kingdome such as that of Cyrus or Alexander c. yet by the Ministry of the Gospel he will erect a spiâ—itual Kingdome and gather to himself a Church that shall abide for ever out of all the Nations of the earth For the Gospel shall be carryed and preached to not only the people of Israel the Jewes but to the Gentiles all the world over that the minds of men may be awakened enlightned and moved with that unheard of Doctrine of Salvation by Christ which had been hid from Ages and Generations And though many shall be hardned against and oppose that glad-tydings yet because the God of glory thundereth that is because the voyce of the Lord is powerful and full of Majesty he accompanying the Ministry of the Gospel with power and terror like that of Thunder home to the Consciences of men for their conviction and conversion therefore it shall do great and glorious things subduing the greatest and stoutest sinners to the obedience of his Will This Thunder will cast down the strong holds of sin and every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. This is it which the Prophet David intendeth according to this allegorical interpretation by the effects of Thunder elegantly expressed vers 5 6 7 8 9 The Voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars yea the Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon that is proud and high-minded men who are in their own conceit as tall as Cedars these he will make to see that they are but shrubs these he will humble and break â—heir hearts by true repentance for the pride of their hearts and all the abominations of their lives Further vers 6. He maketh them also to skip like a Calf Lebanon and Syrion like a young Vnicorn that is the Lord by his thundering powerful voyce first will make them skip as frighted with fear and secondly as revived with joy Yet more vers 7. The Voyce of the Lord divideth the Flames of fire that is will send and divide to every one as they need 1 Cor. 12.11 the holy Spirit who is compared to and called Fire Mat. 3.11 and who came as with a Thunder-storm of a mighty rushing wind and with the appearance of cloven Tongues like as of fire and sate upon each one of the Apostles Acts 2.2 3. Nor did this Voyce of Thunder accompanied with divided flâ—mes of fire reach Jerusalem only for as it follows vers 8. The Vâ—yce of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness the Wilderness of Kadesh that is the Lord by the voyce of the Gospel shall go forth with power to those Gentiles who are like a wilderness barren oâ— goodness and unmanur'd in spirituals though they dwell in well-govern'd Cities and are well-furnished with Morals It shall go forth also to those Gentiles who inhabit wast wildernesses and are not so much as reduced to civility These wildernesses the thundering voice of the Lord hath shaken heretofore and doth shake at this day and will yet further shake that the fulness of the Gentiles may come in Many of these wildernesses hath the Lord turned into fruitful fields and pleasant lands by the voice of the Gospel sounding among them For in these wildernesses as it followeth vers 9. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve that is they that were as wild as untaught and untamed as the hind or any beast in the forrest he brings to the sorrows of theiâ— new-birth to Repentance and Gospel-humiliation And in doing this He as the Psalmist goes on discovereth the forrests that is opens the hearts of men which are as thick set and full grown with vanity pride hypocrisie self-love and self-sufficiency as also with wantonness and sensuality as any forest is over-grown with thickets of trees and bushes which deny all passage through till cleared away by cutting down or burning up Such an opening such a discovery doth the Lord make in the forrests of mens hearts by the Sword and Fire that is by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel and when all this is done the forrest becomes a Temple and as that verse concludes In his temple doth every one speak of his glory And if the floods of ungodliness rise up against this people whom the thunder and lightning of the Gospel have subdued to Christ and framed into a holy Temple then the Psalmist assureth us vers 10. The Lord sitteth upon the flood that is 't is under his power he ruleth and over-ruleth it yea The Lord sitteth King for ever and v. 11. The Lord will give strength to his people the Lord will bless his people with peace Thus the Lord thundereth marveilously and these are glorious marvels which he thundereth he converts sinners The thunder of the Gospel frights them out of sin and the grace of it gives them peace Thus though I like not their way who are given to allegorize the Scriptures yet I doubt not but we may make a profitable use both of this and many other Scriptures by way of allegory This being an undeniable truth which is the ground of it That the Lord puts forth as it were the power of Thunder and Lightning in the preaching of his Word these two things are to be marked First That Thunder and Lightning are a kind of Word of God to us they tell us though confusedly yet plainly enough for the conviction and condemnation of gainsayers there is a God the greatest Princes of the world have taken notice of Thunder and Tempest that there is a God over all governing all nor needs there any more teaching than that to condemne Athiests and Mockers at Religion We say proverbially of some men who make a rude noise they are so loud that we cannot hear God Thunder for them yet know there 's no noise can so drown the voice of Gods Thunder in the Clouds but it will condemn all that hear it not so as to acknowledg God in it Secondly We should mark that as Thunder and Lightning are a kind of Voice or Word of God to us so the Word of God or the Voice of God speaking in his Word is a kind of Thunder and Lightning to us
it until I call or take and dissolve thee into water The same command which is here thee off exprest concerning the Snow is also sent forth to the Rain He saith to the Snow be thou on the earth Likewise to the small rain c. That is he saith to the small Rain do thou descend upon the earth By small Rain is meant any gentle Rain softly and sweetly dropping and deâ—tilling out of the Clouds Now as God orders this small Rain so likewise as it followeth The great Rain of his strength The whole O iginal Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et imbri pluviae imbri pluviarum potentiae ejus Heb. Imber est agmen coelestium aquarum pluviarum Nonius Coacervatio haec nominum et genitivus iâ—â—e pluralis vehementissimum procâ—llosum imbrem guisicat Merc. Cum duâ— nomia copulantur idem fere significâ—ntia quorum pâ—â—â—â—ius ponitur lo o adjectivi alterum determinâ—ntu si fuerit pluralis numeri erit superlativae significationis Bold Imber pluviarum quasi ox multis pluviâ—â— constâ—ns Drus which we render the small Rain and the great Rain of â—is strength hath a great Elegancy in it word for word tâ—us He saith to the showre of Rain and to the showre of Rains of his strength The word Rain in both is the same only the former is in the singulaâ— and the latter in the plural number which hightens or encreaseth the sence as Criticks and Grammarians tell us and therefore we render small Rain and great Rain to which Elihu gives this further addition in the cloâ—e of the verse The great Rain Of his strength Of whose strength surely of the strength of God as if God did in somâ— Rain put forth his mighty stâ—ength and make bare his own Arm in the showrs which he sends upon the earth The great Rain of his strength is that violent Rain which comes forth from God and shews forth to us the great strength of God For neither of those two Epithetes smâ—â—â— and great are expresly in the Texâ— yet bâ—th the scope and Grammatical constâ—uction of the words justifie that Translation A showre of Rain in thâ— singular number implying a mild gente Rain or as we call it a small Rain and a showre of Rains in the plural number implying a continued vehement fierce Rain or as well call it a great Rain especially having that remarkable adjunct following of his strength When the Lord p omised to give showres of Rain for the a king Zach. 10.1 he meant a plentiful strong Rain by which also he intended to signifie the abundance of spiritual gifts and graces which he would pour down upon the Church So much for the opening of this verse For he saith to the Snow be thou on the Earth likewise to the small Rain and to the great Rain of his strength First From the cauâ—al paâ—ticle for which referreth to the former words God doth marveilous things which we cannot comprehend for he saith to the Snow and to the small Rain c. Observe The Snow and Rain are to be written in the Catalogue of Gods wonderful works Wâ—aâ— more common than Snow and Rain and yet as common as they are they have wonders in them Some of the Ancients hâ—ve observed many VVonders in the Snow such as these Fiâ—â—t That being in its own naâ—uâ—e so extreamly cold yet it is formed in that pâ—rt oâ— the Air which is comparatively near the eaâ—â—h and so hath moâ—e heaâ— in it Secondly That Snow being so exceeding cold doâ—h yet by Gods Command fall in some very hâ—t Countries even in the hottest of Sommer Geogâ—aphers tell us of Snow in many places of Tartary which are extreamly hot Thirdly they give this as a VVonder That whereas it never Snows at all upon the Main Ocean yet there is an Island spoken of by Pliny Plin. lib. 6. cap. 32. Nat. Histor called Nivaria from Nix the Snow Isle which though compassed with the Sea is alwayes covered with Snow Fourthly this is given as a Wonder That Snow being so apt to melt by heat yet Mount Aetna which is full of Sulphur and casts out flames of fire continually hath the Head of it hidden continually under or covered with a Cap of â—now Fifthly That in some places VVorms are bred and live in the Snow of a fiery colour Sixthly That the Snow though it be very cold and chilling hath in it a fecundating or fatning power as to the earth is also wondeâ—ful Snow is a great cherisher and nourisher of Plants and Trees of Corn and Gâ—ass and therefore David saith Psal 147.15 16. He giveth Snow like Wool and hoary Frost like ashes There are three things considerable in Snow for which it is compared to VVool. First for the whiteness of it Snow is white as VVool Snow is so exceeding white that the whiteness of a Soul cleansed by pardoning Grace in the blood of Christ is likened to it Isa 1.18 and the latter part of the same verse intimates that the whiteness of Snow bears resemblance to that of VVool. The whiteness of Snow is caused by the abundance of Air and spirits that are in that pelluvid Body Causa albedinis est Spiritus aerisque copia in corpore diaphano Arist lib. 2. de Mundo as the Naturalists speak Any thing that is of a watery substance being frozen or much wrought upon by cold appears more white And hence it is that all persons inhabiting cold Climates or Countries are of a whiter complexion than they who inhabite hot Secondly Snow is like Wool for softness 't is as plyable to the hand as a Lock or Fleece of Wool Thirdly Snow is like Wool which may seem strange with respect to the warmness of it Though Snow be cold in it self as I said before yet it is to the earth as Wool or as a woolen cloth or blanket that keeps the body warm Snow is not warm formally yet it is warm effectively and vertually and thereâ—ore is it compared to Wool and for that respect also the hoary Frost is said to be like ashes in the same place of the Psalm Ashes are warm Frost is cold yet that is a known expression burning cold that is Vreâ—s frigus Pruinam dici volunt Grammatici quasi urinam quod urat arbores flores there is an effect in Frost in the hoary Frost of heat things are kept warm by that which is contrary to warmth Frost and Snow Naturalists have beat their Brains but can assign no satisfying reason of these things and therefore we must ascribe them especially to the power and wisdome of God These particulars laid together are a sufficient witness that even Snow and Rain a e to be reckoned with and numbred among the wonderful works of God Hence Note Secondly God can do what he will by a word speaking And as himself can do what he will by his word so he can make the creature do what he will by
stay at their post where they are appointed they must abide till called off upon pain of death Be thou there saith the Commander to his Souldier be thou there till I fetch thee off and when after signal given the battel begins the Souldier never leaves charging or pursuing the enemy till the trumpet sound a retreat So 't is in this case God saith to the Rain be upon the earth till thou hast wrought my purpose and done all my pleasure and there it is Thus we see the efficacy of Gods command upon these Meâ—eors the Snow and the Rain now follow the effects or what comes of it First we have that effect which respects man Vers 7. He sealeth up the hand of every man He That is God Sealeth up the hand Sealing in Scripture hath a threefold signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proâ—rie claudere occultare First It notes the hiding of a thing or the keeping of it secret and close that which is sealed is also concealed Isa 8.16 Bind up the Testimony seal the Law among my disciples There is a time wherein God commands the Law to be sealed and the Testimony to be bound up and that is a very sad time for though there are various apprehensions about the meaning of this command given the Prophet yet the most probable intendment of it is that God would not have him lose any more time in dealing with those faithless and profane scoffers of his message but reserve those sacred mysteries as secrets to be communicated only to the faithful who would with due reverence and faith religiously receive them Seal the Law among or for my disciples that is such as desire to learn or have been taught and learned of me and by learning are become spiritually skilful and learned as the word is rendred Isa 50.4 Woe to sinners when the Testimony is bound and the Law sealed which is the import I conceive of that place in the same Prophet Isa 29.11 And when in the Revelation Chap. 4.1 a Book sealed with seven seals was shewed to John he wept vers 4. because no man was found worthy to open and to read the Book c. implying that the Book was full of divine secrets hidden from the eyes or understandings of men and so must have continued if the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Root of David that is the Lord Jesus Christ had not prevailed to open the Book and to lose the seven seals thereof Sealed things are hidden things Is not this said the Lord Deut. 32.34 laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures That is is it not kept close and hidden there are not their cursed treasures of sin laid up among my righteous treasures of wrath The Church Cant. 4.12 is called a Fountain sealed because the waters by which she is refreshed and made fruitful are a hidden thing to the world or because the Church must keep her self apart and distinct from the prophane and unbelieving world That 's one thing we seal what we would hide or keep close Secondly the word importeth sometimes to finish or compleat a thing When a Writing is perfected then we seal it when a Letter is made up we seal it to that purpose the word is used Dan. 9.24 Where the Prophet speaking of Christs coming in the flesh and what he should then do saith He shall finish transgression that is he shall compleat by the sacrifice of himself all the sacrifices for transgression Christ had no hand in any transgression as to the doing of it but in this sence he finished all transgression that is he finished the sacrifices of atonement for transgression that so our transgressions might not be charged upon us Further that word as there used may very well bear the first sence of sealing He shall seal transgression that is he shall cover or hide our transgressions for that is the effect of the Mediatorship of Jesus Christ Thirdly To seal a thing is in common sence to confirm it Jer. 32.10 11. I said the Pâ—ophet subscribed the Evidence and sealed it that is I confiâ—med it and made it good in Law Now when 't is said here He seâ—leth up the hand ef every man I conceive we are to take it in the first sence that is he hideth or shuts up every mans hand The hand is the chief instrument of working and therefore to say God shuts up or seals the hand is an elegant Metaphor signifying that God puts a stop or stay to or that he takes men off fâ—om their work If a mans hands be bound or sealed up he cannot use them But how doth God seal up the hand of every man of every working man or labourer By the Snow and by the Rain saith Elihu because when God sends abundance of Snow upon the earth or when he sends the great Rain of his strength men cannot work Hiems inâ—rs dicitur quod homines â—â—gat desidere inertes complicatis mâ—â—ibus in a deep snow or in a great rain without doors Labourers are hindered from their labour And hence anciently Winter had this title given it dull or sluggish Winter because in the extreamity of winter weather many men are forced to sit as we say with their hands in their pockets or folded under their armes He sealeth up the hand of every man that is by tempestuous and fowl weather he bindes their hands and presseth them together as with a Seal In manu omnes homines obsignabit Mont. The Hebrew is In the hand he will seal or sealeth every man From which strict reading some have made a very impious interpretation of this Text thereupon grounding that as most use it most unwarrantable Art of Chiromancy as if God did put certain Lines Prints or Seals upon the hand of every man from whence it may be collected and concluded what as some call it his Fortune or Destiny will be in the world Which as it is an opinion wicked in it self so altogether hetrogeneal to this place the tendency whereof is not to shew how things shall work with men hereafter but how they are often hindered or stopt in or from their present work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vehementia omnem hominem recludit Merc. pagn There is yet another reading of the place thus He sealeth up every man with strength The word which we translate hand hâ—y translate strength and refer it to God he with streng h or by his mighty power shuts up every man The word hand may be rendred strength because by the hand men act violenâ—ly and put forth their strength And God may be said to shew his strength in â—o soâ—t and fluid a thing as snow and rain that thereby he may give proof how easily or with how small a matter in appearance hâ— can stop any man from his work and purpose There is a truth in this â—eading but I rather take the words as they stand in our translation
we count iâ— a mercy in hoâ— seasons And such is the goodness oâ— God that in tâ—ose places where the heat is most troublesome there are many cool Bâ—iezes We read Gen. 3.8 of the cool of the day or as the Margin hath it the wind of the day implying that the extream heat of the day is usually asswaged and cooled by the wind The Prophet Jer. 14.6 describing a time of drought saith The wild Asses did stand in the high places they snuffed up the wind like Dragons To snuffe the wind in time of drought is a great refreshing wind refresheth the body as well as food and 't is some refreshing in famine or want of food Thirdly The wind is a Rain-bringer We say when the wind riseth there will be rain Thus 1 Kings 18.45 before the mighty rain which Elijah foretold we read of a wind The Heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain When Elisha told those three Kings distressed for want of water Ye shall not see wind neither shall ye see rain yet that valley shall be filled with water 2 Kings 3.17 he thereby implyed that wind is the ordinary fore-runner of rain We indeed translate Prov. 25.23 The North wind driveth away the rain yet we put in the Margine The North wind bringeth forth the rain It is true of both the wind scattereth and driveth away the rain the wind also bringeth rain Fourthly The wind causeth vegetables to flourish A sweet gale of wind is not only good for man and beast but for the grass and for the herbs for plants and trees the blowing of the winds maketh them flourish in allusion unto which the Church speaks Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out that is that my Graces my faith in thee 〈◊〉 love to thee c. may put forth and appear The spiritual wind the breathings of the Spirit draw forth spiritual fruit from the heart and in the life of believers as the natural draws forth the natural fruits of the Earth Fifthly The winds are beneficial and helpful for the drying up of the waters they make the earth clean as well as the air It is said Gen. 8.1 â—fter the whole world was drowned God made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters asswaged The wind is a dryer as well as the Sun Sixthly There is a great use of the winds as to artificials What mighty things are done by the wind By it Mills are turned to grin'd Corn a Land and Ships are moved to carry boâ—h Men and Merchandizâ— at Sea there were hardly any passing from Nation to Nation 〈◊〉 dis-joyned by water but by the advantage or help of winds by the help of winds Merchants bring treasure and precious things from one end of the earth to the other These and many more are the common benefits of the winds for which the Lord brings them out of his treasures Secondly The winds have their evil effects God sends them somtimes for a plâ—â—â—e oâ— in a way of Judgment Fiâ—st Winds 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ect the air the Lord can send as a cleansing so a co ruâ—ting â—ind Secondly As wind bâ—ings rain so it hinders or blows away the rain Thi dly The Lord sends the wind to break and overthrow all that stâ—nds before it What doth not the whiâ—lwind overthrow Houses and Trees at Land are blown down Goodly Ships at Sea richly laden have been sunk and over-set by tempestuous winds God sent a whirlwind out of his treasure which caused the Mariners in Jonah to cast their Merchandize into the Sea and Jonah himself too What cross and tempestuous winds did the Apostle Paul meet with in his voyage to Rome Acts 27. Further That the Lord bringeth the winds out of his treasure is matter of great comfort to all that have an interest in the Lord He can command the winds for them and against their enemies the wind cometh out of his Chamber and it shall do as he commandeth It is said Nahum 1.3 The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm and the clouds are the dust of his feet That is he ruleth whirlwinds he walks in and works by the whirlwind and by storms And as we may take it properly so metaphorically that iâ—â—â—in the most tempestuous dispensations and providences when the world is as it were in an Haricane as boysterous winds in some places are called In the greatest concussiâ—nâ— and confusions whether of things or persons the Lord carrieth on his work in a regular course As the great tossings of the air by natural winds so the greatest tossings of affairs by the stâ—ong and various passions of mens spirits in the woâ—ld which we may call civill winds yea whirlwinds are undeâ— the ordering of divine power and wisdome The Prophet Isa 17.13 admonisheth the wicked to take heed and give glory to God For saith he the Nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters But God shall rebuke them and they shall flee far off and shall be chased as the chaffe of the mountaines before the wind and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind A rolling thing is unsteadfast at all times and a whirlwind will make that roul and tumble which is very steadfast it maketh Trees to shake it maketh strong Towers tremble Now if the whirlwind causeth things that are fixed and strong to shake and move what will it do to those that are light and unfixed rolling things That which is as men judge fixt and steady as a Rock shall be as a rolling thing before the whirlwind of the Lords displeasure The Margin of our Bibles calls this rolling thing Thistle-down We know what the down of a Thistle is which at â—ome seasons of the year falls off and is the lightest thing imaginable When there is not a breath of wind stirring the Thistle-down will stir roll and move from place to place what then think you will become of Thistle-down before a mighty wind a whirlwind The wicked shall be as Thistle-down before the whirlwind but the people of God need not fear for as 't is said of the Sea so of the wind his way is in it he rules the proper and he rules the metaphorical whirlwinds which toss and tumble the state and affaires of this world To close this matter We may take notice of several wonderfull things in and about the wind and because Elihu ranks this among the great works of God who doth marveilous things which we comprehend not Nulla propemodum regio est quae aliquem ventum ex se Nascentem circa se cadentem non habeat Sen l. 5. Natur quest c. 17. Plin l. 1. cap. 47. In iusula Lesbo Oppidum Mytilene magnificè aedifiâ—atum est sed imprudentèr positum quod in ea civitate cum Aaster flat homines aegrotant Vitru l. 1. c. 5. not only in Thunder and Lightning in Snow and
the Rain-bow for this is as the waters of Noah for as I have sworn the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth which was signified by the Rain bow so have I sworn that I will be no more wrath with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed any more saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Then follows O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faâ—r colours and thy foundations with saphiers and I will make thy windows of agats and thy gates of carbuncles As if he had said though I â—â—â—e hid my face yet I wil return for this is as the waters of Noah that is I have as certainly resolved in my self that this unnatural flood shall not drown thee as I once promised and am so resolved still that the natural flood shall never drown the world again and mark how he expresseth it as I have sworne When we read the history in Genesis it is not said that the Lord swore but the Lord to shew that his word is as good as his oath tells us that what he spake to Noah was as if he had sworn it especially seeing he gave such a sign for the performance of it I might shew from other Scriptures that God is sometimes represented swearing when yet we read of no oath formally given It is said Exod. 32.13 God sware to Abraham and his Seed to which the Apostle refers Heb. 6.13 17. God confirmed it by an oath yet if we look those scriptures Gen. 12.2 3. Ch. 15.7 Ch. 17.7 we find only the Lord said c. The Lords saying is as good that is as sure as his swearing and shall as certainly be performed For a conclusion of this matter let it be remembred that the Lord by causing the light of his Cloud to shine at first gave and still gives a sign or a seal to strengthen faith Signs and seals are appendices to the Covenant or great Charter of all our mercies Signs and seales are visible words God speaks by them to the eye I will set my Bow in the Cloud God saith the Bow shall be a sign he also hath made Water a sign in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme and he hath made Bread and Wine signes in the holy Sacrament of the Supper God hath been pleased from the beginning so far to condescend to mans weakness as to give him not only his Word or Promise but Signes to confirm it And therefore did the Lord give a sign because as himself hath both an all-sufficient power and full purpose to performe his promise so he would have the faith of all that are under the Covenant well assured of his faithfulness in performing it Thus we see the spiritual usefulness of this interpretation taking the light of his Cloud for that illustrious sign the Rain-bow set by God in the Cloud and most fitly called the light shining in his Cloud which he doth not cause to shine ordinarily or every day as the Sun doth but at special times testifying his eminent favour to some and his care over all mankind Knowest thou when he caused the light of his Cloud to shine Elihu proceeds further with Job upon interrogatories Vers 16. Dost thou know the ballancing of the Clouds the wonderful work of him that is perfect in knowledge Here 's another question The general scope of all these questions was handled before I shall now only poynt at that which this question specially aymes at Mr. Broughton reads Dost thou know the poysing of the thick vapours This is a wonderful woâ—k of God The Clouds are huge ponderous bodies who is able to guess how much a Cloud weighs Librationes nubis appellat eleganter meo quidem judicio cum in aere appensae velut librantur a Domino Merc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertitur libramenta a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponderavit ad trutinam direâ—it mutata ט in ש yet God ballanceth the Clouds he as it were puts them into scales and knows what they weigh he so orders them that one part doth not over-power the other but both hang with an even poise in the air this is a wonderful work of God Dost thou know how God doth this or how he makes the Clouds bigger or lesser how he placeth them higher or lower according to the service and use to which he hath appoynted them Can any man do this Can any man fully understand how such vast bodies as the Clouds should be poised or ballanced how they hover over our heads and are kept from falling upon us We must have recourse to the wisdome and pâ—wer of God for this Dost thou know the ballancing of the Clouds Hence we may infer First If man knoweth not the ballancing of the Clouds then much less can he ballance them And Secondly Note 'T is by a divine power that the Clouds are upheld and ballanced All heavy things tens downward what then but God keeps the Clouds up which are so heavy 'T is a wonder that we have not Seas of waters rather than showers poured upon us from the Clouds They that travaile far at Sea see the Rain coming down by spouts or like a flood in some places and certainly the Clouds would come down every where like a stood if God did not hold them up From which particular instance Elihu would have us take up this general truth that All things are kept in an even ballance by the wisdome and power of God The things of the world if God did not ballance them how would they tumble and fall awry yea run to ruine were there not a ballancing operation in the arm of God over all the affairs and businessess of men what a hudle and confusion would all be in We read in Scripture of foure things which God is said to weigh or to ballance they are all very considerable First It is said God weigheth the waters Job 28.25 which may be understood not only of the waters above in the Clouds but of the waters also in the Sea he knows to a dram to a grain how much all the waters weigh Secondly Which are also vast things It is said Isa 40.12 He weigheth the mountains in scales the hills in a ballance And as both these are true taken litterally so they are true also if you take them mystically or metaphorically St John was shewed the judgment of the great whore in a vision who sitteth upon many waters Rev. 17.1 Who are meant by waters is explained there v. 15. even Peoples and Multitudes Nations and Tongues The people of the world are compared to waters and well they may foâ— their instability Vnstable they are as water Gen. 49.4 and for their aptness to swell and rise up into floods Now the Lord weigheth these mysticall Waters Multitudes and Nations he knows
hear the earth that is answer the necessities of the earth And as the heavens cannot give man rain so neither can the gods of mans making and placing there such are all the vanities or vain Idols of the Gentiles The prophet having shewed us that these cannot sheweth us who can give rain in the next words Art not thou he O Lord our God surely thou art he therefore we will wait upon thee for thou hast made all these things Solomon at the dedication of the Temple puts this as one special case wherein they were to apply to God by prayer 1 Kings 8.35 When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee If they pray c. then hear thou in heaven The prophet sends the people in that exigent to God Zec. 10 1. Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the later rain As if he had said if ye would have rain you must ask for iâ— and be sure ye ask it of none but him ask of the Lord. As it is God that gives out or with-holds the rain so he gives it our or with-holds it at the voice of prayer The Apostle saith of Elias Jam. 5.17 he was a man subject to the like passions that we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months and he prayed again and the heavens gave rain At hiâ— word the Lord stopt rain and at his word he gave rain Let us therefore confess that God is the author or father of the rain He causeth vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth he maketh lightnings for the rain Ps 135.7 He covereth the heaven with clouds he prepareth rain for the earth Ps 147.8 God covereth the heaven with clouds by drawing up vapours from the earth which are the matter of these clouds and in those clouds he prepares the rain by the rain sent down makes the grass to grow upon the mountains The encrease of vegetables is the effect of rain God hath the rain in his power and to acknowledge him in it is our duty Deus sibi Soli clavem pluvtae refervat Targ. Hierosol in cap. 3. Gen. 'T is a great part of our spiritualness to acknowledge God in naturals as well as spirituals or â—hat the key of the clouds as well as the key of the heart is in the hand of God and in his only One of the Antients speaking to this point said Let us not ascribe rain to the Saints much less to Witches Papists have their Saints to whom they pray for rain and Atheists go to Witches for rain The modest and moderate Heathen will â—ise up against such in judgement they ascribed rain to their gods though false gods they had Epethites or Titles of Honour for their Idols Imbriferi serenatores testifying their faith in them and dependance upon them for the showers of heaven they called them shower-bringing gods and fair-weather-making gods If heathens would yet ascâ—ibe the rain to their gods not to men not to any inferiour powers how abominable are they who professing the knowledge of Jehovah the only true God do not acknowledg him alone in this In times of drought many will say We hope we shall have rain when the Moon changeth or when the Wind turns now though there be somewhat in natuâ—e both in the change of the Moon and turn of the Winds as to the change of weather yet to speak much of or expect any thing from either argues some withdrawing of the heart from God and God to shew the folly of such hath often with-held the rain though the Moon hath changed more than once and the Wind turned to all quarters and passed through all poynts of the Compass Thirdly Let us take heed of provoking the Lord he can quickly stâ—p our Comforts those common outward comforts the rain and showrs of heaven and then as to this Life in how sad a case are we As the Lord hath not left himself without witness namely of his goodness in sending rain and fruitful seasons so he can quickly leave a witness of his Justice and displeasure or of his just displeasure by with-holding rain and as a consequent of that fruitful seasons from us Were it only to have rain and fruitful seasons we should take heed of displeasing God If a man had such power as to with-hold rain from your land you would take heed of diâ—pleasing him How dangerous then is it to provoke God who cannot only with-hold the rain from your land but can as the Scripture saith make the rain of your land to be powder and dust Deut. 28.24 that is give you powder and dust instead of rain When the rain is long with-holden the earth grows hard and being much trodden or traveled on dusty this dust being raised up by the wind shall come down instead of rain or that 's all the rain which I will give you The Lord hath our natural comforts in his hand as well as our spiritual and eternal Further As this with-holding of the rain sometimes so the holding up of the rain at any time shews the great power of God to hold the water in the aire is the work of God as much as to with-hold it from the earth The water is a heavy body and all heavy things tend downward is it not a wonder that such a mighty weight of water should hang in the aire and be there held up if it were not held there it would not stay there but come down and drown all What holds it up the Cloud is a thin substance yet it holds the water as well as the strongest vessel bound with hoopes of iron But by what power doubtless by the power of God The water hath no consistence in it self it is a fluid slippery body now what can hold the water that none of it leakes out but the power of God There are many millions of drops in one little cloud and every drop is of it self ready to slip away yet the whole cloud yeelds no more water then a rock till God orders it Let us contemplate the Almightiness of God who can hold such a mighty body of water in the aire or who as Job spake Chap. 26.8 bâ—â—deth up the waters in his thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them These notes arise from that translation which imports the Lords power in drawing the water fâ—om the earth as also in with-holding it from the earth when there is need and in holding it when there is no need We translate He maketh small the drops of â—ater Not only hath God made the body of the water which is one of the four general Elements of which all bodies are compounded and made but he makes the water into small drops or maketh small the drops of water Hence note That the water falls from heaven by dropâ— comes to pass by the
Let us take heed of censuring the works of God Some are very bold in passing their Verdicts upon the great things that God doth this and that is not so well done this and that might have been otherwise done The great things which God doth please not many men if hey hit not their interest how apt are they to find fault But seeing God doth great things that we cannot comprehend let us take heed of censuring any of the great things that God doth no man should judge or censure that which he doth not cannot know and fully understand But usually they who understand things least censure them most and they are most apt to judge who have the weakest judgements JOB Chap. 37. Vers 6 7 8. 6. For he saith to the snow be thou on the earth likewise to the small rain and to the great rain of his strength 7. He sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work 8. Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places ELihu having set forth the wonders of divine power in Thunder and Lightning gives us other instances to the same purpose in this context First In the Snow Secondly in the Rain And he describes the Snow and Rain three wayes First By poynting at their Author or producer in the 6th verse He that is God of whom he spake in the close of the former verse Secondly He sheweth the way or manner of their production he saith 'tis done by a word or command that is by a word of command he saith to the Snow he likewise saith to the small Rain and to the great Rain of his strength be ye on the earth Thirdly He discribes the effects or consequences at least of Snow and Rain and those are of two sorts First What respects man at the 7th verse He sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work Th re we have the first effect the sealing of mans hand together with the designe or intent of God in it that all men may know his work The second effect respects the beasts of the earth at the 8th verse then that is when God hath commanded the Snow and the Rain to be on the earth then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places Thus wâ— may conceive the parts and general scope of these three verses Vers 6. For he saith to the Snow That causal particle for in the front of this verse imports a reason or an account given in these words of what was sâ—id before at the 5th verse God doth great things which we cannot comprehend then presently followeth for he saith to the Snow c. As if Elihu had said not only are Thunder and Lightning but Snow and Rain to be numbred and reckoned among the great and marveilous works of God for he saith to the Snow He saith That is as hath been shewed already he commandeth What God saith shall be must be his words are laws he saith to or commandeth the Snow Not only doth God give commands to rational creatures men Angels but to meer sensitive creatures the beasts and to senseless creatures to vegetives or plants yea to inanimates to things without any life at all such are Snow and Rain yet as if Snow and Rain had an ear to hear an understanding to mind a command from God the text represents God speaking to these He saith to the Snow c. The Snow falls in silver showres every year and covers the face of the earth All men behold it but few understand either what it is or why it is sent Take this brief description of it from the Schoole of Nature Snow is a moist vapour drawn up from the earth to or neer Nix est vâ— or humidus in mediam aeris regionem subvectuâ— ubi in nubâ—m condensatur congâ—latus instar lanae carminâ—tae desâ—eâ—dit teâ— partes â—teâ—dum magnas intâ—rdum exiguas antequam in guttas resolâ—atur Garcae Meteor c. 29. the middle region of the Air where it is condensed or thâ—ckned into a Cloud and falls down again lâ—ke carded wool sometimes in greater sometimes in lesser flakes Snow and Rain are made of the same matter and have their breeding in the same place only they differ in theiâ— outward foâ—m as is obvious to the eye and their season Rain falleth in the warmer seasons the Clouds being dissolved into Rain by heat or when the cold is more remiss Snow falleth in the shaâ—per seasons the Cloud being â—hickned by the cold Hence Solomons comâ—aâ—ison Prov. 26.1 As Snow in Summer so honour is not coâ—ely for a fool Snow is a goodly white robe upon the Winter-body of the earth or upon the body of the earth in Winter yet how unseemly is it upon the body of the earâ—h in Summeâ— hiding and obscuring as well as hurting that which is the natural beauty and ornament of it Thus honour is a precious robe yet no way fitting the back of a foolish or undeserving person Snow is very improper and unnatuâ—â—l in Summer because the coldness of it hinders the ripening of tâ—e corn and other fruits of the earth And therefore when Solomon saith Chap. 25.13 As the cold of snow in the time of Summer so is a faithful messenger to him that sendeth him His meaning is noâ— that the falling of â—now is either comâ—ortable or seasonable in the time of Summer but that snow gathered in Winter and reserved as the custome is in hot countries till Summer being put into drink doâ—h exceedingly cool it and so refresheth those who are ready to faint wiâ—h heat But not to go further from the Text in hand we see that Snow and rain have the same original both being formed out of vapours As in mans body who is a little world from the Stomack there riâ—e up vapours to the Head which by the coldness of the brain are changed into and sent back again in Rheumes and Catarrs So vapours drawn up from the Earth into the Air are sent back in Snow and Rain Solomon descâ—ibing the infirmities of old age alludes to this while he warnes the young man that thus the Clâ—uds will return after the Rain Eccl. 12.2 which may be understood either more generally of that succession of troubles to which old age is subject or more particularly of Rheum and Flegm wherewith old age is molested the defluxion of the Rheum being as the Rain and the gathering of new matter which continually distilleth from the Head upon the Lungs being as the returning of the Clouds after the Rain He saith to the Snow Be thou on the earth The place where Snow is generated is in the Air from thence it receives a command to dispatch it self to the Earth and there to abide He saith to the Snow be thou on the Earth that is cover the face of the earth be thou as a mantle upon the earth or as a white sheet spread over the whole face of