Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

Chap. 38 an Expojitionaeon theBeokofJo 3. alert. 2 }. 20 t M odem:se about that moll fpiritual Doctrine of Regeneration, or the NewBirch, to the how free an agent the Spirit of God is in ir, compares his workings to that of the Wind,of which he faith, (vsrf 8.) Thewind bloweth where it NMI); which yet we are not to underhand, as if the winds did blow at randome , or were carried out by their ownpower and imprefiîon : Chritl fpeaks of the wind there , as if it had a will, or wiltulnefs, rather ; but we are to underí and it thus, The mind blowetb where it li¡luh , for any thing man can do or fay to it ; let man fay what he will, let than do what hecan , the wind blows where it litleth. The wind is not under the controul or command of any man , no not of the mightica Prince on Earth ; yet it bloweth not abfelurelywhert is i If , but where God lifieth. The power and skill of ill the men in the World , cannotalter or concroul the wind. Some in- deed have traded withWitches for winds, as if they had the command of them; yet knoav it is only the Lords chuíng their delulions,or his giving them up to thole delufions and wicked- netfes, which their hearts chufe, ifat any time any gain a breath of wind, by tradingwith them. We fhould onely look by faith, and trade with him by prayer , for the managing and difpofing of the winds; is is he that fcattereth the Eah-wind over the Barth. Knoweft those how the Eafl-wind: are teetered over the Earth, or, by what way the Lordfcattereththe Eafl-windover the Earth Hence Note , Secondly, Theway of the Find is afecret to man, as well as the way of the Light. The Lord Chrifi fhewethmans ignorance , with refpe& co the way of the wind (John 3.8.) Thou bearefi the found thereof, kot ;hot knowefi not whence it cemeth , nor whither it goeth. Which we arenor to underhand, as if,when a man perceives the wind co blow, he did not knowwhence, or out ofwhat part of the com- paffe it comes, or towards what point it goes: Weknow when it comes from the Ea(i ; and when it comes from thence, we know it goeth to the Weil ; and fo when it comes from the North,and goes to theSouth : but we knownot whence it comes , and whi- ther it goes, as to the way of it we knownot howit comes to paffe,ot is brought about, That's done by the foie command of D d the

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