27s Chap. 9. An Expofition upon the Bodl^offOB. Verf. 17. But generally the word is rendred a ‘tempeji * and thus God is often defcribcd contending with man,(Nab. 1.3OHit way is in thewhtrlewind, andin thejiortn, and the clouds are the dujl of hit feet ■,. that is, he fends ftorms and whirlwinds, by thefe afflids the children of men >and as an army of horfemen,raifes clouds of dull from the earth with their feet; fo the Lord raifes the dull o f clouds with his, Behold a whirlewind, or a tempeji of the Lord it goneforthinfury, even agrievous whirlewind> itJhallfallgrievoufly upon the headof thewicked, Jer. 23*19. Tb break with a tcmpeft,^! with a whirlewind, implies trim tbngs. it A fudden and aft unexpected affliction. Tempefts are never welcomet,and but feldome looked for : When the fea is Cocalm and fmc»oth that you may throw a die upon it a ftormarileth in a moment, and the veffel indanger ofa wreck. 2. If uoteththeftercenefsand violence of an affliction. Tem- pefts are the mod violent motions* they come with power. A tempeft is irrefiftible, who can ftand before it ?Who can contend with ftorms and windes ? When the Lord made total! conquefts of his enemies, he contended (in the.letter) by ftorms and tetri- pelts. As inthe 10th otjojhua, and in the firft of Samuel ( Chap. 7 .10 .fWhm the Philijlines drew near to battel againjl'lfrael, the kord thunderedwith a great thunderthat day upon the Philijlines and difcomfited them. The ftory is famous ofa legion of Chriftian fouldiexs,called the thundering legion, bccaufe by prayer they obtained a refrelhing rain for the army in which they were commanded,and a terrible ftormof thunder and lightning, &c. upon the enemy. The word is uled figuratively in war,when hefiegers coming toa Town or Fort arerefolved to carry it prefently what ever it coft them, they arc laid to\ftorm the place or toget it by jf»r«r.The Prophet'alludes to this(Ifa.254.)FFi!)«« the blajt ofthe terrible ones it as\aJiortn againjlthe wall j that is, when thetrrage (hall be at the higheft,moft violent and impetuous, then the Lord will be a refugefrom theflrorm. The fame God who laves many from the ftorms ofman,did himfelfftormJob. He.kreakgtk me with a tempeji. i. $sd a ‘ Job was ftorm’d,yet fuppoles his prayer was arifvvered. Hence oblerve, Prayers may be heardand anfwered, whengreatejt afflictions are ■jfponIts. Do
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