344 Verf. I 5 . Expojition "%pan the Bookof e B. Chap. 37. gril ab iire eery or deweyCloud oppofite to either. The Liice word Iris, .flued dicare is derived from a greek wo.ti, which figoifieth to (peak or co re- eve Thqui. /r/: late fonithin3 . : The Rainbow is elegantly fo called, becaufe it eflo fic og iu forethews fomtimes rain, forntimes faire weather. A Rainbow tuninii,nimp. in the morning is a fign of fhorvres, in the afternoon it betokens bpi/ tun: lune. ferenity, and alwayes it proclaims tous thepromife of God for 1149 in "4&O the moderation of rain ; or it (peaks thus much to all che world, roidinuoppJ?- God will fo meafure out the Rain from the Clouds, that it tsmzignit r Alai' never fwell to an univerfal D.Auge,or to a droning ..knini, oC the Garcm. " whole world again. Thus the Rainbow bath aípech, a language of mercy in it cowards the prefent world. It teaks alto the ju- flice of God upon the old world, minding us of that D.. luge of water that drowned them for their fin ; they had fo defiled the Earth by their evil manners and prophanefs , by their (hip, Superflition and Idolatry, that God in wrath font t rood of water, not to wafh,or refrefh, but tod :flioy them : The Rain- bow minds us of that dreadfull judgment of God upona corrupt World. And although the Rainbow gives us atTurance that the World (hall not be drowned again, how (main foever it is, yet fome,from the various colours of the Rainbow, whereof one is fed, and fiery, tell us, it proclaims that the Wcyld fhall ai laa be confumed byFire. The Apofile Peter is plain that it (hail be fo, :( 2 Ep: 3. In.) The Elements fhgli ?welt with fervent heat; nor is it meerly apliancy, to fay,that the fiery colours in the Rainbow are fet there by God, to mind us of it. Some have quefiioned whether the Rainbowwere before the Flood or no ? The reafon or ground of the queflion is given from that rayingof God ( Gen. 9. 3. ) Iwill fet myBow in the Cloud : itteems then therewas no Rainbow before theFlood. t anfwer, The Rainbowmaybe confidered two wayes; Ertl, as to its natural being ; Secondly, as to its myflical ufe. If we confider the Rainbow as to its natural being, it was before the Flood, for the caul-es of it were before the Flood, which are wa- tery Cloudsand the Phinina of the Sun:Nowwhen fufficiext cu- [es appear in ail, the effed el;thcertinly faoro. But as to its my- flical Lire, it was not before the Flood. Water had its natural ele-. Pientary being and ufe, before Baptifmewas inflituted, but it had not a fparkual ufe till then : we may fay the fame of the Rain- iaow.Sorhe I knowof the Modern:, Luther and illelabilhon afferr, it
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