262 Chap. 5. 4n Expofition upon the $o®kof J p B. Verf. k-lory weary or dry foever theearth is, unlefs God by a word broach theft veffels ofrain,the very inheritance of God cannot have a draught no nor a drop to quench its thinlf. Therefore though rain be a common biding, in refpeí`f of all places and perlons ; yet weought toacknowledge a fpecial hind in giving it. And this checks that natural .Atheifm, which reigns in their hearts, who think that they are beholding only to the motion of the winds,or change of the Moon for rain: and hence in time of drought they look moll when the wind will turn , or when the Moon will change. To confute this, the Prophet tells us by the wayofqueliion,that as Idols cannot,fo neither can the Heavens give rain, Jer.14.22.Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can caufe rain? Or can the Heavens give f.Jhowres ? They cannot. Indeed the Holy Prophet Elias (peaks fetch language, as if hehad carried the keys of the clouds at his girdle, or had been mailer of the Rain, r Ding. 17. a. As the Lord liveth, thére(hall not be dew nor rain theft years, but accor- ding to my word. Eut the Apoftle lames thews us ,what word this was, namelya wordof prayer, not of command, Chap. 5 a 7. Elias prayed and it rained not ; again he prayed and it rained. All the powerof man cannot prevaile with the Heavens to rain, but the prayer of faith canprevail with the God of Heaven ; To Tend rain was the work of God, though it were at the word of a man. They whodeny God in one work will quickly deny him in another. And if we deny him in lelfer, yea the leail of his works, in a drop of rain, we are in danger to deny him in the greater. And they who deny God in his working, have but an eafieffep, to the denyal ofhis being. This (hould teach us to walk in dependance upon God for all na- tural comforts. He giveth rain. All creatures drink from Hea- ven, that they may have their eyes and their hearts in Heaven; And if we mull walk in dependance upon God for natural corn- forts,howmuch more for fpiritual ; if for the rain of the clouds, howmuch more for the dews of his Spirit, and the rain of grace upon our hearts ? Further obierve, It is a great, wonderful and unfearchable workof ad tofend rain : For we mutt put the (lamp of thofe four charaáers upon all there works, And fo rain is a great a wonderful, and an unfearchable work of God : fo great and wonderful that(as bath been proved)no creature can commit-. nisate with God, or (hare in the honour ofthis work, The Raba Gins esswwisa421
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=