414 Veri. 3 I. 4I4E vpofitien upon the Boob, of J e B. Chap'. 36. Thirdlynote ; Plenty and fcarcity are at the d:fpcfe of God; He can give meat in fcarcìcy, as well as meat in abundance he can give cleannefs of teeth as well as fulnefs of bread : And as he can firengchen the Baff of bread, fo break it, and caufe eu to eat bread by weight and with cart, and to drink water by meafure and with aomfkment ( Ezek. 4. 16. ) To eat by weight and drinkby meafure, is to eat anddrink in the want of bread and water, as is expreffed (verf. r7.) And as there-changes of our natural, fo of our fpiritual food are from the Lord ( Amos g, e r.) I wiRfend a famine ( What famine ?) not ofbread, but ofhear- ing the word of the Lord. 'Tis the Lord who fends plenty and fcarcity of hreaol, whether for the foul or for the body. Fourthly, In that he faith, by them he giveth meat in abur.- dance, Note ; God ufeth natural meaner ae the catife either of plenty or fcarcity. The Lord could give us abundance, if he pleafed,without rain, but he rarely gives abundance but by rain ; he fends rain out of the Clouds to water the earth, and make it fruitful. The Lord could make our fouls fruitful in every good work, without the preaching of the word, but he feldnm Both it (I believe never when the word maybe had) without the preaching of trae word. And therefore the Lord by his Prophet makes a comparifon be- tween, or a paralcl of thefe two (Ifa. S S. Yo, ii.) As the rail comet: down, and the flow from heaven, and, returneth net thither, butaatereth the earth, and maketb it bring forth and bud, that it tinilygivefeed to the fewer, and bread to the eater; fo fhall my word be, that geeth out ofmy mouth,&c. The Lord ufeth rain and flow, yea, wind and thunder, to fit theearth, as he uferh his Word and holy Ordinances to fit the foul, tobring forth fruit to himfelf. He could do both alone, but he improveth that order of nature and erePi.64 70- grace which himfelf ar firfl fet up and inl}ituted to bring about Gol' 't 4- thefe excellent ends. By thembe 'verb oseat in abundance. Preebel itefem The Greek tranllation renders all manner of muchnefr. From per mom, the whole learn, what caufe we have to acknowledge the good- sept, nefs
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