1. By raising our thoughts to the contemplation of his greatnesse and Majesty in it so as to feare and to tremble before him O Lord how art thou cloathed with glory and Majesty who would not feare and tremble before such a God as thou art The voyce of the Lord shaketh the Wildernesse Psal. 29. 9. that is the wilde beasts of the Wildernesse and shall it not shake our hearts shall our hearts be more hard and stupid then the hearts of those wild and savage beasts in the Wildernesse It shaketh the most lofty Cedars what are our spirits how loftie how hardned with pride and folly if they doe not shake if they tremble not before such a God as this It is a notable speech of Elihu Job 37. 1. At this also my heart trembleth and is moved out of his place at this at what is it that his heart so trembleth his voyce roareth hee thundreth with the voyce of his excellencie vers. 4. God thundreth marvellously with his voyce great things doth he which wee cannot comprehend vers. 5. Out of the South commeth the whirle-wind vers. 9. The Wind passeth and cleanseth vers. 21. Wherefore upon this great worke of God together with others he concludes vers. 22. With God is terrible Majesty touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out Hee is excellent in power vers. 23. Men doe therefore feare him vers. 24. It is a time now indeed to feare the Lord to lye down with low humbled trembling hearts before him it s no time to vexe and fret and rage as it is the practise of some when grievous tempests and stormes arise and put them to trouble and danger they vex and rage against the Winds when the Winds cause Seas to rage their hearts are in as great a rage as the Seas swearing and cursing most dreadfully in this their rage their cursed hearts some out their filth according to that description of the wicked which we have Isa. 57. 20 21. the wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast out mire and dirt there is no peace saith my God to the wicked Oh the abominable mire and dirt that is cast out by such hearts at such times when God calls for the most feare of him trembling before him subjection unto him what is this but even to dart up our arrowes against the Heavens and to flye even in the very face of God himselfe I have read of a people in Africa who being troubled with strong Winds driving heaps of sands upon their fields and dwelling places they gathered an Army to fight against them but with so evill successe that themselves were buried under hils of sands driven upon them by the Winds It is no lesse madnesse in these who curse and rage in times of tempests these are fighters against God it is the infinite patience of God that that cursed breath that comes from them at those times is not stopped 2. Let us praise God in this stormy Wind by considering what poore creatures we are how infinitely wee depend upon this God that appeares so much above us in it wee see how he can make a vapor terrible unto us so that we cannot stand before it we see at what advantage hee hath us by the Winds to overturne our houses to dash our shippes in pieces by it Marke how Job was affected when God spake to him out of the Whirle-wind c. 38. 1. compared with c. 40. 3 4. Then Iob answered the Lord that is when the Lord had spoken to him out of the winds Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay mine hand upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further And againe compare chap. 40. 6. with chap. 42. 5 6. the Lord speakes to him againe out of the Whirle-wind that God delights to make use of this creature to speake to men by to humble them you heard before but here you see the effect of this what power there is in it to doe that which God intends by it I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare saith Job but now mine eyes have seene thee wherefore I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes This makes a Job a holy godly man to abhorre himself in dust and ashes before this great God 3. Let us upon this labour to purge our hearts and keep them cleansed from guilt that the terrours of God in this and other of his workes may not overwhelme them and sinke them It is a blessed thing to be able to looke upon God in these his glorious workes with comfort and peace if there were no guilt within in our hearts although they would be moved with reverence of God in his great workes yet all the tempests in the World could not shake them with any such terrour as to hinder their comfort peace their sweet rest and repose in God yea they would rather rejoyce the heart they would raise it to blesse it selfe in this God as the God of its comfort and of all its good were it not for vapors for Wind got into the earth all stormes and tempestuous Winds without would never make an earthquake were our spirits cleare within whatsoever comes without would never cause any slavish despairing sinking heartquake in us Pliny saith that the Eagle is not afraid of Thunder the greatest tempests of Thunder doe not affright her whereas other fowles shake and tremble at it and the beasts of the field get into their shelters thus spirituall hearts who converse much with God and keep themselves up on high they are not terrified with such things as fill the hearts of others with amazing terrors hearts that are heavenly are like the ayre above the middle Region free from tempests and stormes It is very observable that which wee read of David Psal. 18. hee there sets out the glory of God in the Earthquake and dreadfull Tempests The earth shooke and trembled the foundations of the hills moved and were shaken because hee was wroth there went up a smoake out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured hee did flye upon the wings of the wind his thick clouds passed haile-stones and coales of fire The Lord thundered in the Heavens and the highest gave his voyce c. Yet observe vers. 16. David drawes comfort out of all this He sent from above he tooke me he drew me out of many waters These grievous Tempests these dreadfull stormes were not to over-whelme me to sinke me in the waters but the Lord tooke me that God who appeared thus dreadful in these stormes and tempests yet this God tooke me and drew mee out of many waters and vers. 19. Hee delivered mee because hee delighted in mee 4. Give glory to God in blessing his Name for deliverance from those fearefull judgements that hee makes tempestuous Winds and stormes the executioners of upon many others some of you it is like may say and
search out the causes of things wee must take heed we doe not stay â—ill wee arise to the supreme the highest cause Philosophers dispute of the inferiour causes It is devillish knowledge that in the contemplation of nature holds us in nature and keepes us from God saith Calvin upon the 29. Psalme and further he hath this expression If one desires to know a man hee neglects the looking upon his face and fastens his eyes upon his nayles his folly is to bee derided so saith he while men wholly mind the inferiour causes of things as workes of nature onely neglecting God the highest cause of all And in this our giving glory to God we must labour to be as spirituall as wee can then the worke will abide upon our hearts but if we be onely moved in a sensitive way the impression of all will soone vanish and come to nothing The second point followes Fulfilling his word Doct. Whensoever God sends a stormy Wind he sends it to fulfill his word The Winds you heard before were Gods messengers this is evermore their errand to fulfill his word There is a foure-fold word of God that they are sent to fulfill 1. The word of his decree what he hath purposed determined to bring to passe this is one creature the Lord calls forth out of his treasure to fulfill this and therefore it shall come at that time in that place and worke in that power and abide that time that shal be fittest for the accomplishment of this word of his Decree 2. The word of his command if God calls for it it must come if God speakes to it it shall goe and prosper to that he sends it for it is one of Gods Hosts at the beck of this great Lord of Hosts and for the fulfilling this and the other word the Winds are called for out of his treasure of Wisdome and power 3. The word of his threat what soever ill God hath threatned against sinners that comes under the power of this creature to be an executioner of it fulfils Hence Jer. 51. 1. it is called a destroying Wind and Ezek. 13. 13. a stormy Wind in my fury If there bee any threat against any man in a shippe or any that have interest in it the Lord many times sends his Winds to fulfill that word of his When Jonah sinned against God in flying from his presence the Lord raised a tempestuous Wind to follow after him as a Pursevant that would never downe untill it had arrested him and made him to know what it was to sinne against the Word of the Lord that Wind and tempest that is now up may be a fruit of Gods displeasure for such or such a sinne of thine it may be committed long since and so it comes out of the treasury of Gods wrath 4. His word of promise to convey a blessing and thus they come out of the treasury of Gods mercy to fulfill that word of promise All things shall worke together for good to them that love God Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and that which is to come When God enters into covenant with his people all second causes are linked together to work good unto to them as Hos. 2. 21 22. I will heare the Heavens and they shall hear the earth and so it is true of all others that which is said of the clouds driven about by the Winds is also true of the Winds themselves Job 37. 13. He causeth it to come whether for correction or for mercy sometimes for correction and sometimes for mercie For use and that first more generally 1. Here wee may learne to have high and honourable thoughts of the word of the Lord seeing God hath such glorious wayes for the fulfilling of it where the Word of the Lord is there is power Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jot or tittle of his Word God prizeth every tittle of his Word above Heaven and Earth hee had rather lose Heaven and Earth then any part of his Word howsoever thou prizest it at a low rate and art not willing to lose a base lust the least outward advantage for the Word God will shake the Heavens and Earth for the fulfilling his Word yea rather dissolve them and bring them into nothing rather then he will not fulfill every particle of it If God hath made these his glorious worke to bee subservient for the preservation and accomplishing his Word then surely his Word is above them wherefore although much of Gods Name bee in these yet there is more of his name in his Word Hence is that excellent place Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name Gods worke is honourable and glorious Psal. 111. 3. But his Word is in a speciall manner the very glasse of his holinesse and glory in which we behold his glory with open face and so as we are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. and if Gods name be more in his word then in his works a gracious heart will see God more there and feare God as appearing there more then in any thing else as we read of Eliah 1 King 19 11 12 although the mighty wind and fire passed by yet his heart was not taken with feare so much as when the still voyce came because the Text faith God was there although the voyce was a still voyce yet because God was there more then in the other therefore Eliah feared more this place of Scripture is abused by many who bring it against Ministers preaching the Law in a zealous manner making God to appeare terrible to sinners they say God was not in the fire nor in the whirlewind but in the still voyce but it is cleare there can bee no such inference gathered from thence as many seeke to gather for even in this still voyce God came with a message of most fearefull wrath against the people Goe saith hee and anoint Hazael Jehu and Elisha that hee that escapeth the sword of Hazael Jehu may slay and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu Elisha shall slay See what a terrible threat was this that came from God appearing in that still voyce and Elias himselfe after Gods appearing thus in the still voyce was no lesse terrible in his Ministry then before for in the 2 of Kings 1. see how severe and fiery he was hee prayeth for fire to come downe from Heaven to destroy the Captaine and his fifty and againe the second time for fire from Heaven to destroy the second Captaine and his fifty he ceased not untill the third came in a way of submission and indeed that manner of Gods appearing to Elias first in the mighty wind then in the earthquake then in the fire and at last in the still voyce was to shew Elias how he would have him to appeare in his Ministry namely first in terrour and then more mildly and in that it is said that
God was not in the wind nor in the earthquake nor in the fire but in the still voyce it was to shew you that Elias and so other Ministers of God should be to the people as that mighty wind as the earthquake and fire till God appeares in them and when they see God in them then to be as a still voyce unto them but this by the way for the clearing this Scripture from the abuse of it Vse 2. If the Winds be for the fulfilling Gods Word and that in those severall wayes Hence let us learne that when any great Winds and Tempests arise it is not for nothing that they arise there is some speciall reason that God hath for the raising and continuing of them God hath alwayes some speciall aime in them for the fulfilling of some word or other of his many people when they heare of and feele grievous tempests boisterous violent Winds they thinke and say there is conjuring abroad and that is all the use they make of them God is neglected hee is not so much as once mentioned by them I finde a Canon in a Councell above 1000. yeeres agoe made against such as shall attribute tempests thundrings and lightnings to the Devill as if he caused them whosoever beleeves this saith the Councell as Priscillianus did let him be Anathema It is true if God will permit the Devill he hath much power over corporall things to make great changes in them to doe great things by them as we know what he did by Gods permission against Job and when his children were feasting there came saith the Text Job 1. 19. a great Wind and smote the foure corners of the House It is observed by some there was a speciall worke of the Devill in drawing the Wind round about the house how could one Wind else take the foure corners of the house Origen thinkes those Winds were onely the Devils themselves cluttering about the house and striving who should doe mischiefe soonest the same word in the Hebrew that signifies the Wind signifies also a spirit Certaine it is if God should let him loose hee were able to overturne our houses every day and suddenly to destroy us all but howsoever God may permit him sometimes as his executioner yet the supreme cause of raising and ordering is God for speciall ends which the Devill is forced against his will to further and there is not the least vapour or any of the most contemptible creature that he hath any power over but by permission and therefore neither Angel nor Devill nor any power in Heaven and Earth can raise or continue any Wind but as an instrument of God When God hath some worke to doe for the fulfilling his Word it were a great shame for any who professe godlinesse to bee afraid of the Devill in this kinde The Devill saith Tertullian hath no power over Swine much lesse over Gods Sheepe what God hath to doe in that proportion he raiseth the Wind according to that expression you had before that God had weights for the Wind adde to this that place Psal. 78. 50. Hee weighed out a path for his anger for so are the words in your Bookes it is onely hee made a way to his anger but consider then these two places together thus God first weighes a path for his anger how much hee intends to execute and then he weighs the means that is the Winds according to the former expression in Job just enough for the execution of so much anger and no more and so proportion them and this beyond all second causes makes the Winds greater or lesse continuing longer or shorter time which few thinke of But thus much for the application more generally but more particularly from these foure considerations of that word they come to fulfil from the first the word of his Decree 1. Hence wee learne the certainty of the fulfilling of all Gods Decrees all creatures worke for this end wee may purpose and decree things but every little thing is enough to hinder but the word of Gods Decree shall stand for ever Heaven and Earth and Ayre and Seas and all creatures must worke and give forth all their power and efficacie for this therefore certainely none can faile 2. Whatsoever falls out by the Wind take notice of it as the fulfilling of the word of Gods Decree and make use of it accordingly doe not thinke it came by ill hap or chance or onely through unskilfulnesse or neglect of such or such so as to thinke if these things be taken heed of another time there need be no feare that such things will fall out againe yes if this came to fulfill the word of Gods Decree howsoever such and such meanes furthered it although they had not beene God could have have had many other wayes to have made these winds to have fulfilled this word of his and so may do some other time when such meanes shall not fall out From the second the Word of his command 1. Here learne the Soveraignty and greatnesse of God that hath these creatures at his command Who is this said the Mariners concerning Christ whom the wind and Seas obey so let us say who is this Lord how great is his command who are you then that dare resist the command of this God Shall Heaven and Earth Seas and Winds fulfill Gods word and art thou he that darest stand out against it to resist it to rebell against it Job 38. 1 2 it is said that God spake to Job out of the whirle-wind and said Who is this that darkneth counsell Now the Lord speake to your hearts out of every stormy Wind who is this that dares stand out against my command great things have yeelded and doe daily yeeld to Gods word as Psal. 29. 5 6 7. It breaketh the Cedars it divideth the flames of fire What a heart then hast thou that darest that canst stand out against it 2. Seeing the boisterous Winds obey the word of command when thou feelest boisterous raging lusts in thy heart looke up to this God cry to him to give out a powerfull word of command to still them Likewise O Lord thou who rulest the raging Sea and tempestuous Winds and they are still O that thou wouldest rebuke these raging distempers of my heart which raise a grievous tempest in my soule that they may be still Chrysostome upon the 8. of Matthew speaking of those winds that raised tempest upon the Seas which endangered the Shippe wherein Christ and his Disciples were makes use of an Allegoricall sense comparing the Ship to the Church and those winds to the Devils that raise tempests to endanger the Church certainly the lusts of a mans heart are more dangerous winds they raise a tempest more dangerous then all the Devils in Hell are able to raise but the Lord that is able to still the one is able to still also the other Psal. 65. 7. These two are put together The stilling the
to open unto them his good treasure the treasure of Nature is a good treasure there are many good blessings in it yet such as hee gives sometimes to the wicked Psal. 17. 14. Hee fills their bellies with his hid treasure but Gods people as they are a peculiar treasure to God Exod. 19. 5. so God hath a peculiar treasure for them a treasure in Heaven Luke 19. 22. 7. God weighes the Winds Job 28. 5. He makes a weight for the Winds this is made a speciall evidence of Gods propriety in understanding the way of wisdome as appeares verse 20. Whence commeth Wisdome and where is the place of understanding seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the Fowles of the ayre by which Hierome understands proud lofty aeriall high spirits who love to soare aloft and to be above in the clouds Wisdome is hid from them but rather thus it is to be found in no place in the World the Fowles of the aire never saw that place where it is Destruction and Death say we have heard the fame of it that is such as are now swallowed up of destruction and death the abstract being put for the concrete as we have often in Scripture as Revel. 20. 14. Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire These who are destroyed and dead they now know something what true Wisdome is they finde by wofull experience what it is to neglect God and to cast off his feare and to follow the vanity of their owne hearts now they see what would have done them good and what hath undone them for ever but though men neither living nor dead know what true Wisdome is yet God understandeth the way thereof vers. 23. How doth that appeare that only true Wisdome dwels with God amongst other things this is one speciall hee maketh a weight for the winds that is either by ordering them in a just proportion that there shall not bee the least particle of them spent further then may serve his purpose or thus he maketh a weight for the Winds he giveth to the Windes their poyse that they should move this way or that way according as hee pleaseth 8. The Lord makes the Wind his messengers Psal. 104. 4. Who maketh his Angels spirits so it is in your bookes but the word translated spirits signifies Winds and is to be understood of them for the scope of the Psalmist is to shew the glory of God in his great workes of Nature The word translated Angels signifies messengers in the Hebrew as the Greeke But the Apostle in the first of the Hebrewes quotes this Scripture and applies it to the Angels vers. 7. And of the Angels he saith he maketh his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flaming fire to this Calvin upon the 104. Psalme justifying the former interpretation ansvvers It is not the intent of the Apostle to expound the meaning of the Prophet but sets out an Analogie or likenesse betvveene that obedience the Winds yeeld unto God and that vvhich is performed by the Angels and so the meaning is that as God useth the Winds his messengers to goe hither and thither as he pleaseth for the fulfilling his Word so hee useth the Angels for his service and they obey accordingly so that this visible sensible World is as it vvere a glasse of that glory the Lord hath in the higher World above in the Heavens and vve may be the rather induced to conceive that the Apostle maketh use onely of an Allegoricall sense of that Scripture because vvee finde many times in the New Testament places quoted out of the Old and applyed not according to their proper sense but some according to their typicall and others their allegoricall sense as many might be named I will onely shew you one place quoted out of the Psalmes as this is and that by the same Apostle the place of the Psalme that is quoted is Psal. 19. vers. 4. Their line is gone out through the earth and their words to the end of the World it is apparent this is spoken concerning the heavens their line that is their rule or delineation which is a meanes to teach the simple as Isay 28. 10. or by line is meant a building frame which is made by line and rule Job 38. 5. speaking of Gods creating the earth hee hath this expression Who hath stretched out the line therof The Greeke Translators translate the word sound which word the Apostle also useth quoting this place Rom. 18. 18. And further whereas it is said their words to the end of the World is meant those testifications that the frame of the Heavens have together with their course and order to witnesse to the world the glory of God in them whereby they doe as it were cry aloud to men to behold the glory of the great God Now the Apostle in the 10. to the Rom applies this place to the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles that were sent out he brings it to shew that unbeleevers could have no excuse for their unbeleefe But I say have they not heard yes verily for their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the World wherefore although that place in the 104. Psalme by way of Allegory may bee applyed unto the Angels yet firstly and properly it is to be understood of the Winds every Wind is as a messenger of God sent to us about some errand or other and happy are wee if wee have that care and skill that may finde out what their message is what the meaning of God in them is that they may never returne without doing the worke for which they were sent and certainely one way or other they will performe their worke as we have it in the Text they will fulfill his Word In the 55. of Isay vers. 10 11. The Word is compared to the Raine that comes downe from Heaven in that it returnes not in vaine so neither will the winds that come from Heaven yea as messengers from the God of Heaven they will not they cannot returne in vaine 9. This is a creature that God delights to make use of when hee would so speake to men as to humble their hearts before him thus he did when hee intended so to speake to Job as to humble him so thorowly as hee might be prepared for deliverance he speakes againe and againe to him out of the Wind chap. 38. and 40. 10. Christ makes use of this creature in setting out the freenesse of Gods grace in the great worke of Regeneration Joh. 3. 8. The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth nor whither it goeth so is every one that is borne of the Spirit and God made use of this miraculous worke of his in sending the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles Acts. 2. 2. There was the rushing of a mighty Wind and filled all the house where they were
have said except the Wind had turned at such a time I had beene lost we had certainely been all cast away and if you had beene cast away then where had you beene now it may bee from those dreadfull waters you might have sunke into the lake of unquenchable fire you might have beene swallowed up of that infinit ocean of Gods eternal wrath but God hath preserved you you are alive and yet enjoy the day of grace the goodnesse of the Lord hath beene to you that which he promised I say 32. 2. A hiding place from the Wind and â— covert from the tempest It was the free grace of God towards you onely his goodnesse that hath beene your safety for what could you doe to helpe yourselfe it may be you cryed and prayed to God but what could your prayers doe who wert and it may be still art a prophane wretched creature the course of whose life is a way of enmity against the great God of the whole World It is reported of Bias the Philosopher who sayling among a company of rude Mariners they being in danger by a storme the Mariners fell on praying and crying out to their gods Bias calls to them to hold their peace lest the gods should heare them and so they should all fare the worse for their sakes The worst that is in such dangers will cry out and sometimes fall on praying but how should that prayer be accepted that comes out of that mouth out of which so many oathes came a while since which is defiled with so many blasphemies and not yet purged by repentance wherfore whensoever thou hast been delivered and others have perished admire at the free grace of God towards thee give him the glory of it and let God bee thus praised in the Stormie Wind. 5. Give God the glory of this work of his by seeking him for the raising ordering and stilling the Wind according as thy occasion is I have read of a people who erected an Altar to the Winds and once a yeer spent a whole night in their devotions to the Winds to seeke calme winds because of the great hurt they often suffered by them but wee have learned otherwise namely to looke beyond the Winds to seeke God acknowledge him the raiser and orderer of them this is part of that divine worship that is due to God that he should be acknowledged and sought in these things although it be but a common worke of his providence yet hee expects to bee sought to in it prayer hath shut the Heavens and opened them prayer hath power over Heaven and Earth and Ayre and Seas and Winds it hath power to prevail with God much more power over any creature whatsoever We reade 1 Sam. 7. 9 10. when Samuel offered to God but a sucking Lambe presently a grievous storme arose The Lord thundred with thunder upon the Philistines And Revel. 8. 4 5. The smoake of the incense came with the prayers of the Saints ascending before God then the Angel tooke the censer and filled it with the fire of the Altar and cast it into the earth and there were voyces and thundrings and lightnings All the Devils in Hell have not that power over the Winds that the prayers of the Saints have We have a famous story of the power of the prayers of the Christian Souldiers in Marcus Aurelius his Army recorded by Eusebius who praying to God in time of great drought when the Army was like to perish for thirst they procured a great tempest against the enemies which put them to flight and overthrew them and a refreshing raine to their owne Armie whereupon they were called the Lightning Legion upon which Aurclius was much moved and favoured the Christians much after it and wrote in their behalfe acknowledging it the hand of God as a fruit of their prayers If prayers have power over the raine over thundring and lightning then surely over the stormy Wind If therefore you seeke not God in this if you thinke it is nothing that prayer can doe you are more heathenish and fuller of Atheisme then the most rude heathen Matth. 8. 24 25. When a tempest arose Christ was awaked When a storme ariseth God must be sought 6. Consider if stormes and tempests in the aire be so terrible what then are the stormes and tempests of Gods anger in the execution of dreadfull judgements upon Nations and Kingdomes and how terrible are Stormes and Tempests raised and raging in mens consciences For the first Isa. 28. 1 2. the Lord pronounceth a woe against the Drunkards of Ephraim whose glorious beauty is as a fading flower Behold the Lord hath a mighty strong tempest A destroying storme and a floud of mighty waters The clouds gather apace and hang exceeding blacke and dreadfull over many places as if God had reserved us to fearefull stormy dayes Gods way hath beene in the sweet calme of peace for a long time in the sweet Sun-shine of his Mercies but Nahum 1. 3. The Lord hath his way in the Whirl wind and in the storme Yea even that God that is slow to anger yet hath his way in the storm and in that way God is seeming now to come Eliah could foresee a great raine by a cloud no bigger then a mans hand we may fore-see not onely raine but the great storme and tempest of Gods displeasure gathering neere by clouds that arise which are bigger then a mans hand for behold even the Heavens are blacke wee have feared the gathering them often but because they have bin dispelled wee have promised peace to our selves God hath his times so to our selves God hath his times so to gather them that they shall not be scattered untill they have fulfilled his Word The prudent man fore-seeth the evill and hideth himselfe Pro. 22. 3. Evill men understand not judgement but they that seeke the Lord understand all things What are the thoughts the feares of those who doe most seeke the Lord observe what they doe if they understand any thing of Gods minde then a storme is comming It is observed of the Bees that before a storme you may see them come apace to their Hives what are the Hives of the Saints but the publike Temples of God These have the promise of God to be a place of refuge a covert from storme Isai. 4. 6. These are the chambers that God now calls his Saints into Isa. 26. 20. Come my people enter into your chambers shut your doores about you hide your selvss as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be overpast for behold the Lord commeth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity the earth shall disclose her bloud and shall no more cover her slaine These are the Pellaes to which God calls you if you think your selves so setled in your places as that you cannot stir take heed lest the storm be to you as it is threatned Job 27. 21. The
the ruling and stilling the waves of the Sea which hee doth especially by the use of the wind as a fruit of Gods faithfulnesse that is ordered by God for the fulfilling the word of his promise if you can take this as a fruit of the promise how comfortable will it bee unto you Gods riding upon the Cherub and flying upon the wings of the Wind are put together Psal. 18 10. The Cherubins did cover the Mercy-seate when he comes to us upon the wings of the Wind this must needes be full of comfort you Mariners if you be gratious and godly whensoever you see the Lord comming to you in the Winds you may see him likewise upon the Cherub his Mercy-seat and what encouragement is this in the wayes of God others see him comming from his Throne of Iustice dividing the flames of fire in his wrath if God hath fulfilled any word of Mercy by a prosperous Wind let it engage thee to him for ever and cause thee to improve that mercy thou hast by it for God we read Deu. 33. 19. that Zebulun the Mariners Tribe as you heard before when they had a prosperous voyage they should call the people to the Mountaines of the Lord there to offer sacrifices of righteousnesse because of the fulfilling of Gods promise to them that they should sucke of the abundance of the Seas hath God given you the blessing of the Seas then stirre up one another to come to the Mountaine of the Lord that is to the Church of God to offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse to give God the praises due unto him And to close all if a prosperous Wind bee comfortable because it fulfils a word of mercy how comfortable then are the breathings of Gods Spirit in the soule fulfilling the good Word of the Lord promising to give his Spirit to them that aske it Luke 11. 13. and take onely one note from hence so we have done when God gives his Spirit hee gives all good the comparing of this place of Luke with Matth. 7. 11. is very observable there it is How much more shall your father give good things to them that aske him and in Luke How much more shall your Father give his Spirit to them that aske him shewing that God in giving us his Spirit gives us all good things the Lord grant unto us evermore the blessed breathings of his Spirit FINIS Pr. 25. 11. So Arias Montanus Super rotis suis Accedat verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum Accedat verbum ad opera Dei fiunt documenta pietatis adjumenta Ventus turbinis Vt sciamus ipsos ventorum Impetus ejus mandato per angelos gubernari Calv. in Psal. 18. Perditio pro perditis mors pro mortuis Aer motus L. 10. c. 5. 5. Quaest nat. l. 5. c. 18. Ingens naturae beneficium Dedit ventos ut commoda cujusque regionis fierent communia non ut Legiones equitemque gestarent nec ut perniciosâ— gentibus arma traÌ„sveberent Non ideo non sunt ista natura sua bona si vitio male uâ—entium nocent Herodotus lib. 2. Alex. ab Alex. l. 3. c. 22. Lib. 5. 6. 5. Ite ad Pellam Sed tranquillitas ista tempest as erit Impietatis Sed Diabolica est baec scientia saith Calvin upon the 29. Psalm quae in naturae contemplatione nos retinens a Deo avertit Merito ridebitur ejus stultitia Vse Si quis credit quod Diabolus tonitrua fulgura tempestates sua authoritate facit sicut Priscilianus dixit Anathema sit Con. Bâ—acarens c. 8. Nec in porcorum gregem Diaboli Legio habuit potestatem nec potestatem habet ut in oves Dei saeviat Tertul. de fuga in persec