Chap. 37. an Expoftian upon the look of J e s. Verf. i 5. 59 5 it was not in being till then ; but we have reroon to vary from that opinion, with Ieverence to Chore. worthy meo : For ß_30d did not fay in the 9th of Gel/afar, I will make or creme my Broe in the Cloud, but, I do fet slay HMI in the Cloud, a:>d it /bail be there for a tokenofa Covenant between me and the Earth. T h r Rair:r ow had no fuch fignification, nor was it fet in the Cloud for any fuck pur- pole, before that time. So then, Take the Rainbow as to its i ayfF.cal u':e, fo I grans, it was not before the Flood ; till then God had never cauìed the light of his Cloud to fhine as a Covenant - token. The. Rainbow, had alwayes a natural fignification in it, but that is not all , it kath now al fo a Theological, divine and myfiical figniication, and is become as the Seal of that Covenant with mankind ; for God inflitured the Rainbow as aSacramental Con (fo we may exprefte it fo: our bet- ter underfianding) both between hitnfelf and the whole World in general, and in fpecial between himlelf & his Covenant people (6en.9.v,I a,i 3,14,1 5.) It was given (I fay) onpurpofe toSeat the truth of the Promife,that the whole Earth flaould no morebe overwhelm'd with a Deluge or Flood of water : Which though is be Inch a promife as the whole Creation bath the benefit of, yet the faithfull only underftand the myfterie of it, and have their faith exercifed upon it, and firen¿thened by it. So that while the Rainbow is the fign of a temporal Covenant to all crea- tures, the godly may look upon ir, with reference to all fpiritual and eternal mercies byChrifi, in whom all the promifes of mercy are Tea awl Ames, (2 Cor. I. 20. ) And there is a great fitnefs in it to hold forth mercy both temporal and fpiritual, in fevetal particulars. Firft, ThisRainbow is in the Cloud, andGod placed it in the Cloud, becaufe out of the Cloud came the Rain which drowned the old world. God could have drowned the world only by let.. Ling out, or breaking up theSprings ofwater from the earth , but he opened the Carara&s of Heaven alto to do ir. And therefore God, to fecure the world againti fuch another vengeance from the Clouds, put his Bow in the Cloud. A fecond fignificancy of mercy in the Rainbow, is, becaufe the Bow isbended upwards,or Heaven-ward, the Bowdothnot hand bent to the Earth, or downward, the firingof the Bow is towards tas, not the back of it. He that would (hoot hath the bottom or Aaaa back
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