Book IV. AFFLICTION COMPARED TO A STORMOR TEMPEST. 929 Ill. But however, there is Comfort to the Godly: ThcJugh their Day may be clouded, and Darknefs may invade them, yet it will be Light again. Light is fown for the Righ– teous, and Gladnefs f or the Upright in Heart, Pfal. xcvii. I 1. Light is like Seed hid un– der the Clods, but it !hall fprout, and fpring up gloriouny in a little Time. I. his fawn in the Purpofes and De~rees of ·God : He hath purpofed and decreed to give Light to the Righteous, and Joy and Gladnefs to the Upright in Heart. 2. his fawn in the glorious Attributes of God. 3· It is fo;yn in the faithful Promifes of God. 4· It is fawn in the Faith and Prayers of the People of God. There is a plentiful Stock of.Seed fown in this refpect, and it fhall in due Time fprincr up; the Prayers of the Saint's fallen afieep, are not Jolt. b 5· Light, and a good Day, is fawn in all the Sufferings of the Saints; if we fuffer with him, we n,.ll alfo reign with him. · 6. Light and Gladnefs is fawn as it were in the horrid Wickednefs of the Ungodly. ·was notL1ght and Gladnefs fawn for the lfraelites, in the Sins of the Amorites? (t.) In the Sin of Self-confidence the Seed may be faid to be already fawn: Behold I fit a ff!...ueen, and foal/ fte no Sorrow, Re-v. xviii. (2.) ln the Sin of Blafphemy. (3.) In their Treachery and Deceit. (4.) In their bloody Cruelty. AFFLICTION COMPARED TO A STORM OR TEMPEST. As Fire burneth the Wood, and as Flame fttteth the Mountains o¥ Fire; fo perfecute them with thy 'l'empejf, and make them afraid with thy Storm, Pfal.lxxxiii. 14, I5. '!'he Ea.ft-Wind carrieth him away, and he departetb; and a Storm burleth ·him out of hir Place, Job xxvii. 21. A Covert from the Storm, !fa. iv. 6. When the Bla.ft of the terrible Ones is as a Storm again.ft the Wall, !fa. xxv. 4• And the Winds ble·w, and beat upon that Hvtfc, and it fell, and great was the Fall of it; Matt. vii. 27. BY Storms and Tempe!ls are meant two Things: I. the terrible Wrath and Ven– geance of God again!lthe Wicked. 2. The fierce Wrat'> of the Ungodly againft the Righteous. Note. Wrath, whether it refpetls the Wrath of God or Man, is compared to :i Storm, or terrible Tempell. We fl1all fpeak to this Metaphor, Storm and 'l'empejf, principally in reference to the ··wrath and Judgment of God. P A R A L L E L ~ I. A Storm or TempeO: fometimes is looked for and expected, by certain Signs which fame obferve, a confiderable wh1le before 1t comes; by the gatheruig of the Clouds, they fee a Storm threatened : So theWrath and Difpleafure of God againO: a People, or Nation, is by fame obferving Men expected and looked for before it comes. There are certain Signs, which arc like the ga.thering of the Clouds. ( t.) When Sia grievouny abounds. (2.) 'When the Hand of God hath been lifted up, and yet Sin– ners are not humbled. (3 .) When many faithful and eminent Servants of God are taken away by Death. (4.) When there are itrange and wonderful Signs or Prodigie~ feen in the Heavens, or upoa the Earth, or\¥aters, &c. (5.) Vl7hen the People of God generally, as one Man, do look for it; for God ufually goes firft upon the Hearts of his own People in' this refpect. (6.) When former Affiitlions do npt humble, nor work Reformation in Profelfors, and orhep. Il. A Storm comes now and then very fuddenly, before Men are aware: So doth the Storm of God's Wrath come oftenrimes very fuddenly upon a finful Nation and People. It may be the .Plague this Night breaks forth, or a Fire, or a War, wHich Men dreamed not of: When they cry Peace and Safety, fudden DejfruEiion, &c. I 'rhejf. v. 3· I only allude to that Tq;:t. · Ill. A Storm is fomttimes very tempeftuous, mixed with Thunder, Lightening, and crreat Hail, fo that it is very terrible, caufing Horror and Amazement in moft Men ~nd Women: So the Wrath of God fometimes breaks forth upon a People in a moit 11 D fore
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