4Sz THE HOLY SPIRIT cOMPARED To THE WIND. Book II. M ET AP H 0 R. IV. The Wind hath a cooling Property ; how much do People ir. hot Countries deGre to have the Wind blow, to lay the Extremity of Heat! PARALLEL. IV. The Spirit alfo is of a coolina Nature which abates the burning Lu£1: of Conc~pifcence: and the fcorching ofSatan's fiery Darts and Temp– tations, Eph. vi. 16. (as is ftmhec opened in the Metaphor of Water.) How comfortable is it in Time of Temptation, to have the Wind of the Spirit blow upon the Soul? The DeGrc after Evil is prefently allayed thereby. V. The Wind hath a clearing V. The Holy Spirit difpcrfeth the Clouds of ~ality, difperGng Clouds, and Ignorance and Darknefs in the Underfrandina, caufing Serenity, expelling all and drives away thofe Mills of Temptation, whi;h Mt!\s and Fogs, whtch darken caufe Men to lofe their Way, and by its powerful the Air. Influence makes fair Weather in the Soul, EphVI. The South Wind, as Natu– ralifrs obferve, is of a thawing ~ality, which Experience oft– times !hews to be true. VII. The Wind is of a fearch– ing ~ality; it finds 6ut the mo!t hidden Places, it paffes through the mo£1: private Corners, and un– difcernible Crannies. "VIII. The Wind (N'aturalifrs cibferve •) has alfo a drying and ripening Property; it dries up filthy and unclean Places, that are not paffable, and helps to ripen Things for Harveft. IX. The Motions of the Wind are various; fometimes it blows one \\'ay, and fometimes another; when it blows on high in one part of the Kingdom, it is low, or hard– ly blows at all in another part: Its feveral Motions allo have vari– ous EffeCts and Properties. 1. !8. V!. The Holy Spirit melts or thaws the cold and frozen Heart of a Sinner. The Hearts of Men are naturally congealed, like Ice, hard and obdurate; but no fooner doth the Spirit come to blow upon it, but this Hardnefs thaws and dif– folves into a Flood of Tears, Acts ii. 36, 37· VII. The Holy Spirit tries the Heart and Reins, and finds out the very Thoughts of Men; it is fa id, to fearch all 'Things, yea, the deep 'Things of God, 1 Cor. ii. 10. It pierceth even to the dividing ajunder of Soul and Spirit, Joints and Marrow, and is a Difcerner of the 'Thoughts and Intents of the Heart, Heb. iv. 12. VIII. The Spirit dries up the filthy Iffue of our finful Humors, which make our Way to Heaven very hard and difficult; and alfo ripen• us, like Wheat, for the Lord's Harveft. lt is by the InAuence of the Spirit, that we are made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints iil L ight, Col. i. r2. IX. The Spirit mov<S and operates variouOy; fometimes it blows upon one People, and fume– times upon another; fometimes upon one Church it blows powerfully, when upon another at that Time its Operations arc hardly difccrnib!e. Again, fomctimes the North 'Wind of the Spirit blows, which is !harp, cold, and nipping, (Rebukes and Heproofs of the Spirit, a~d AffliCtions, are like the blowing of the North Wind) which tends w kill the Weeds and Worms of our Corruptions. And then again, at another Time the South Wind blows, which is warm, comfortable, and refreihing; Peace, inward Joy, and Confolation ofthe Spirit, are fignified thereby, a. the Learned obferve. t X. The Wind blows freely X. The Spirit of God is a free Agent; it where it lifts; we cannot command moves, blows, and operates as it pleafeth; it is the Wind to blow when and how not at our Command. But all theft 'Things work– we would. eth the one and the fame Spir·it, dividir~g to e7Jery XI. The Wind blows and workerh fometimes powerfully, ftrongly, and irrcfifribly; it hath a mighty Force 1~ u, beann~down all that frands 111 ItS Way; lt turns up rhe Cedars of Lebanon, rends the Mountains, and breaks Rocks .in pieces. one fe-verally as he will, 1 Cor. xii. r 1. XI. The Holy Spirit is powerful in its Opera– tions, there is no ftanding before it. le brings down and levels all high, mighty, lofty, and towering Thoughts of Men; when in good earnefr it b~gins to work upon the Heart, no Oppofition that is made againft it is able to ftand. Though Satan and evil Relations, may endeavor to obi\ruct its workings, and hinder the Soul in ir.s Purpofes • See .Pliu. lib. ii. cap. 19. t See Gardener. and 3
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