Sz+ M IN~ S T ER S coMPARED To CL 0 U D S. Book IV. ?.. Becaufe of the Number and Multitude of Clouds, for in tempeftuous Weather ~great );'lenty of thick Clouds appear, fo an innumerable Company of Witneiles are compared to Clouds, Ileb. xii. '· 3· They are alfo ufcd in comparifon: Behold, he }hall come as Clouds: That is, his Army will I make a vall: Appearance, the Targum fays, as a Cloud which comes up and <:avers the Earth, Ezek. xxxviii. 9· 4-· For Vanity and l nconllancy, or Emptinefs; hence falfe Teachers are compared to Clouds without Raip. 5· And upon divers Accounts true Minifl:ers of the Gofpd may be compared to Clouds; for as talit Teachers are like Clouds without Rain; fa true Minifters are as 'Clouds full, or filled with 1\ain, &c. How fit!y Chrilt's Minifl:ers rnoy be compared to Clouds, will appear by what .follows. CL 0 U D S. I. CLOUDS are fit Receptacles fur the \Vater, they receive their Water, as it is dr;l\vn up cut of tJ,., Fountain of the great Deep: For God hath made the Clouds as ufeful as fa manv Buckets, to d ra;v up Water .out of the Sea; and the Wind is made uli: of as an Hand, to carry thefe Buckets or Clouds whitherfoevrr the great Creawr pleafeth, to di(lil it down upon the .Earth, that the Earth might be re– plenifhed, and made fruitful by it. I!. Clouds are prepared by the wife God, as fit Mediums to let Rain down, that fv it might fall gradually, as the Earth is able to take it in, to the Benefit of all Things that grow thereon, and not to its .Detriment, as poffibly it would, were it not that God made ufe of the Clouds. Ill. Clouds letdown their Water more freely at one Time than at another; now and then it fallsrlow n wonderfully. IV. Clouds let down their Wa– ter at God's Command, and they obey his Voice. . V. It is a great Judgment upon a People, when God commands or 'refl:rains the Clouds from raining upon the Earth, or upon this or that partiClllar Nation, Field, or Vineyard. VI. Clouds are of great Profit to thofe who have weak Eye-fighr, in that they are as a Veil between the bright Shining of the Sun, and them; for the Light mull: be pro– portionable to the Sighr, or elfe the Eyes are confound.ed. PARALLEL. I. so Minifl:ers receive all their fpiritual Rain out of the great Fountain of all Fulne!s , Of his Fulnefs baw we all received, &c. and that by the Spirit; that fa their Docrrine might drop as the Ratn upon the tender Herbs, and as ~bowelS upon the Grafs, Deut. xxxii. 6. It is accorditw to the Gifts and Operqtions nf the Spirit, be ~ more or lef1, that the le fpititual Cloudg,!fe filled; and as God is pkafed to diflil and blefs the W ord, it becomes profitable, and makes this or that Man fruitful in Grace and Holinefs. What Abundance of Fruit have the Saints brought forth under the Dropping of thefe Clauds ! l!. Minifrers are appointed by the Lord as In– firumenrs, tO communicate of his Grace and di– vine Goodnefs to the Children of Men. If he fhould make ufe of other Jt![ediums, it might be to our I-lurt; fhould he fpeak to us hif!lfelf, we could not, it is pofftble, be able to bear the hear– ing of his \'iTords. The poor lfraelites defired Mofes to (peak to them, would not that God fhould fpeak to them any more, IeO: they died. Ill. So the fpiritual Clouds fornetimes pour down, or rather out, the divine Rain in a pienri– ful Manner; at other times they feem much fl:raightened in their own Spirits. IV. So Minifl:ers ~reach at God's Command; it is he that openeth their Mmtt)Js; it is as the Spi– rit gives th~m utterance. V. So it is a fevcre and fore Judgment upon a People or C-->ngregltion, when God fulti:rs his Miniflers to preach no more unto them, or makes their Minifhy of no Advantage or Profit to tlmr. I wiil command the Clouds, that they raiil no Rain upon it, &c. !fa. v. 6. VI. So the Mini(ters of the Word of God are of infinite Ufe and Adv>ntage to poor Mortals: For we have all but weak fpiritual Sight, and can– not behold the -Glory of God, nor t.ke in divine Myfreries, without thefe bleffed Medium> God is pleafed to make ufe of, in his gracious Conde(cen– fion to us; and therefore God fpeaks to us by Men like ourfelves, and opens heavenly T\1ings b.y ..earthly Similitudes, &c.. 3 .INFERENCES.
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