Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

A 5 30 Chap. 40. Expofition upon the Book of Jo 11, Verf. intends the fence, noting it to be a very vehement whirlwind : But in the 40 Chapter, that article is left out ; upon which they That this latter whirlwind was not fo fierce, nor fo ve- hement as the former. But this is only a conje&ure ; nor can any thing be folidly grounded upon fuch Grammatical differences ; yea, Come, notwithflanding that defea of the Article, conceive the whirlwind here in this Chapter, was more vehementchanthat in the former Chapter. But I (hail not flay about that Qaerie, nor dircourfe any thing concerning the nature of the whirlwind, which was toucht before at the -3 8.Chapter, but (hall Ohrerve, FirR ; god loath terrible walesof revealing hirnfelf,, as well as fweet and gentle wayer. To fpeak out of a whirhvi,,d, is a dreadful manifeflation. The whirlwind, and fpeaking our of it, notes a legal dirpenfation, or a minifIration of terror, fuch as the Law was publiChed in, of which we read in the i9rh of Exodus, which vvas fo terrible (faith the Aportle, Heb.12.) that Mofes himfelflaid, Iexceeding- lyfear andquake. The Lord hathhis MaintSinai difpenfations,tra thunder and lightning, and with a terrible voice ; and he bath al- fo his Mount Sion diipenfacions in frveet and precious promiCes, and Gofpel- Ordinances ; he bath his befeechings, his intreatings, his wooings, his invitings. Divine difpenfations vary. 'Tis faid o King. i. 6.) in the iiiflory of Eliah, chat when the Lordap- peared, therewas an Earth-quake, and the Lord was not in the Earth-quake ; therewas a mighty wind, and the Lord was not in the wind ; there was fire, and the Lord was not in the fre : At ha, therecame a !fill fmall voice, and there the Lord was The Lord waved the dreadful manifeflation of himfelf, by winds, tempefl, thunder, fire, Earth-quake , and carne only in a Rill voice. The reaCon why the Lord doth thus varioufly dirpenfe himfelf, fometimes in a whirlwind, -fomecimes *gentle gale, is to anfwer the feveral tempers and fpirits of men ; where the fpirits of men will= bow, the Lord knows how to break and bing them down ; and where the fpirits of men are already bowed and broken, humbled and melted, the Lord knows how to comfort and confirm them.: He will not break the bruifed reed, nor quench the 'making flax. And when it is (aid, He will not break,

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