Chap. 37. erinEtpoftion upon the Book of Jo B. Vert. 5. the Flames offire ; that is, will fend and divide to every one as theyneed ( Cor, r 2. ; a .) the holySpirit, who is compared to and called Fire ( Mat, 3. i t. ) and who came as with a Thun- der-dorm of a mighty rufhing- wind, and with the appearance of clovenTongues, like as offire, andfate capon each one of the Apoflles, (Mis 2.2,3.) Nor did this Voyce of Thunder,accompanied with divided flames of fire,reach Jerufalem only;.for,as it follows (verf. 8.) The Voyceofthe Lordfhaketh the wildernefs, the wildernefs of Kadefh ; that is,the Lord by the voyce of the Gofpel fhall go forth with power to thofe Gentiles, who are like a wildernefs, bar- ren of gèodnefs, and unmanur'd in fpirituals, though they dwell iniwell- govern'd Cities, and are well-furnifhed with Morals. It than gó forth alfoto,thofe Gentiles who inhabit waflwildernef- fes,and are not fomuch as reduced to civility : Thefe wilderneffes the thunderingvoice of the Lord hath fhakenheretofore,and loth (hake atthis day, and will yet further fhake,that the fulnefs ofthe Gentiles may come in. Many of thefe wilderneffes bath the Lord turned into fruitful fields, and pleafant lands, by the voice of the Gofpel founding among them. For in thefe wilderneffes (as it fol- lowethacrf 9,) The voice of the Lordmakleth the hinds to calve ; that is,they that were as wild,asuntaught and untamed as the hind or any beaft in the forreff, he brings to the forrows of their npw- birth, toRepentance and Gofpel -humiliation : And in doing this He (as the Pfalmift goeson) difcovereth the forrefls, that is, o- pens the hearts of men,!which are as thick fet and full grown with vanity, pride, hypocrifie, felf-love, and.felf-fufl'icìency, as alto with wantonnefs and fenfuality,.as any forefi is over-grown with thickets of trees and bullies, which deny all paffage through, till cleared away by cuttingdown or burning up; Such anopening,fuch á oifcovery loth the Lordmake in the forrefls of mens hearts, by the Sword and Fire,,that is,by the Word and Spirit of the Gofpel; and when all this is done, the forrefi becomes a Temple, and as char verfe concludes, Inhis temple dothevery one rpeaf< ofhisglory, And if the floods of ungodlinefs rife up againfc this people, whom the thunder and lightning of the Gofpel have fubdued to Chriff and framed into a holy Temple,then the Pfalmift affureth us (ver f o.) The Lordfitteth upon the flood, that is, 'tis under his power, he ruleth and over - ruleth it : yea, The Lord1atteth Kino for ever, and (v, a r .) The Lardwill give ftoength to hispeople, the Lord will blef.F 463
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=