Chap. 38. an Expofition upon the Book of J o E. Verf. 28. 2 rg the Word. Some ( and that not improperly) have called thehumidis lads Sun Thefather ofthe Rain. The Sun draws up thole vapours from exrrallus et e. the earth into the Air, which are the matter of Rain, and there tevauu a Si,la thofe vapours are condenfed into Clouds, and afterwards rarified buts autnnu and diffolved into Rain ; yet there natural caufes produce there ben, et mde o effe&s only as God lets them on work, and he can fufpend their Sole repefaQecs working as often as he will. And therefore the limpie and plain tiquefcir erfol. meaning of this queflion is, the Rain owes its original to God, v "ur Sané}. and mn/t call himfather : And that's the obfervation which rifeth ortc of this queflion, !lath the Rama Farber ? God and God alone is the Father of the Rain. Withour him it had never been ; and that it is continued is by his power andprovidence; that the frame of nature is fodifpo- fed, that fecond caufes are fo ordered and furni(hed as to pro- duce Rain, proceeds from or comes to pars by the Lord alone. The Prophet fpake this in a time of great drought ( ter. 14. a2. ) both in the negative and in the affirmative ; and he pro- pofed two queftions, or the queflion twice, intending the nega- tive. Firí, Are thereanyamong the Vanities of the Gentiles that cancalifs Rain ? ( By the vanities of the gentiles we are to under - Band their Idol gods. Idols are vanities, or nothings; and 'can they who are nothing do thisgreat thine, give Rain ? That's the fiatqueflion, Can Idols caufe Rain, furely they cannot : But will it not rain of courfe ? will not the Heavens one time or other yield Rain ? That'sthéfecond Quefiion) Can theHeavensgive 'powers? No, As Idols, or fangods, cannot give Rain, fo nei- thercan theHeavens, if forbidden,give Rain ; they act nottheir power in their own power. The Heavens cannot give Rain, if Cod gives them a command to the contrary ; and the God of Naturecancheck and countermand the courfe ofNature,both on earth, and in the Heavens, when he will. Though thofe bottles the Clouds beneverfopregnantand full ofRain, yet he can flop them. So then, neither the Idols, nor the Heavens can do ir, if God fay No ; yea, if hegivenot forth a wordof command, if he bidsnot the courfe of Nature proceed, the Heavens over our heads willbe Brafs, and the earth under us as Iron ; and there- forethe Prophet in the latter part of the verle tells us exprefly, who is the Fatherof the Rain, Art not thou he OLordor God ? F f 2 Therefore
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