- Chap. 37. eÁnExpofition upon the IBook of J o a. Verf. 6. men,to whom the Lord fpeaks and fpeakfagainand again,he fends out his commandment, and his word runs very fwiftly Et) them, yet they air not, they movenor!" Surely Snow and Rain will rife up in judgement against thefe, to whom the Lord bath. Paid, do ths, and they did it not, towhom the Lord hash laid, do not this, yet they did it. The word reprefents all forts of Creatures below mamas v. ell as the Angels above man; readily obeying the com- mand of God, to teachman how readily he (hould obey his corn- viands, and howgreatly he (tall be condemned if he do nor, and that not only by the Angels in heaven, but by the Snowand Rain that fall upon the earth. Fourthly, From the deflin6lion which is here made of the rain, the frtallrain, and thegreat'rain of hisftrength, Note ; Inwhat degree-or .quantityfoever the rainfalls, it is by thefpeci- at appointment ofGod. If it be a final!, gentle, foaking rain, it is becaufe God 'lath fpoken to the fmlll rain togo ;.if it be a great, a violent, a fmoak- ing rain, a rain ofhis tlrength, it is becaufe Godbath Paid to the great rain, go : We are not to flick in fecond caufes, but to have our hearts railed higher, both as to the rain it felF,tnd to thepro- portionsof ir. He nauketh [wall the drop; of rain, as 'cis Paid at the z7thVerfe of the former Chapter, and he can make great the dropsof rain, or the drops of raingreat ; he can cafl the rain into what mold heplealeth, great or ftnall c it (hall be a fweetly- dillillingrain, or it (ball be, asSolonmon fpeakes, a fiercely [weep- ingrain (Prov. a8. 3.) where he compares 'the poor man;that oporeffeth, to a fweeping rain. God bath fweeping rains, and as ., laid (Ez,ek. 13. r 3. ) overflowingfhowres in his hand ; and he fometimes fends, not a watering (howre, not a refreíhing or comforting fhowre inmercy, not a fhowre to enrich and fatten the earth,but an overflowing fhowre todrown the earth and de- fkràythe' frrits of it in his anger ; and this is true, whether yòrt take the ti-,owre Properly, or metaphorically. If you cake the ñì©wren o ly for that which falls from heaven, he fends the re- frefl,ing,& hefends the overflowing fhowrei or if you take it me- taphorically (aa fhowre may (ignifie anykind or degree of judge-' ment) he can fend one judgement which thall b;, as fault rain, Ppp z anai 47'5
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=