Chap. 5. An Expofttien Lapin the Book of j O$, Verfc. rÁ. X61 r ecial providence Nature works not without the God of tta. sure. He dotbgreat things : and what ; He fendeth rain. The whole courfc or nature moves, as itis turned by the hand of God, and direted by his counfel. It is not in the frame of nature, as in many artificial frames, which being once let up,will hand, or go alone. When the Artificer hath madea Clock,and put it in frame, and hung on the weights, let him go whither he will the Clock will go ; andif there were room for the weights to defccnd, the clock(continuing in frame)would go perpetually,though nohand helped or touch t it : But it is not fo, in the frame and workings of naturali things; God hath fet all creatures in a frame and eu- rioufly ordered them, one within another, but there is no motion of the leaft wheel, much lets of the whole Ifabrique, without the fpecial hand- of God : when Rain comes; God faith go; Rain it his gift, not the clouds ; the cloud receives a commitliion from God todiítil and diffolve upon man: The mot full fpongy clouds nt r^ diftill no more than the Rock did in the Wildernels,till the Lord nui ptexor f fpeaks to them. As, When be utteretb his voice; there is a multi- dust ptuvsam, rude of waters in the Heevt-n m s, and be caufetb thevapours to afcend no encift; from the ends ofthe earth, 3. So till he uttereth his voice vet PP, not one tingle dropofall that multitude ofwaters falls fromHea- 1)" ven ; nor will thofe vapours defcend and return again to the earth, except he bid them. He givetb Rainupon the Earth, Rain is tbefpeeial gift .,of Gad. Special, not in that feria as grace is a fpecial gift; for plain is a common gift : but fpecial, be- it is that of which and about which, God takes lfpecial notic as we read, Amos 4. S. I caufed it to Rain (faith God) upon ane place, or upon one City, and not repon another : There is a fpecial difcriminating work about the Ruin ; it raines by appointment, not accident,upon one place,rather than another.AndlJa.5 &when God expreffes difpleafure againfl his vineyard (he faith) 1 ailJ command the clouds,that theyfi all rain no rain upon it; The. clouds are as vati bottles full of Rain, but they cannot unflop thernfeìves, or let out one drop, until God himfelf commandsthem ; Ilt melteth the clouds (as it is in lob) and then the Raie; falleib down. Thou 0 God didit fend a plentiful Rain, whereby than didit confirme shine inheritance when it was weary; Pal,- 6 gs 1. 3 1 Ha.sv
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