and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed thus is there a gradual progress from the practice of one Vertue to another altho through some accidental indisposition of our minds One Vertue may not promote the exercise of another CLIMAX Climax gradatio when the words are in such a Position that there is a gradual ascent from one to another till you arrive at the last step of the period Thus Matt. 10. 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me There is here a gradual advancement in every period and the last is the highest of all In as much as the respect and honour given to God the Father upon the reception of his Son is much greater than any that is paid to the Son who in respect of his humanity and his mission from Heaven was inferiour to God the Father John 1. 11. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God In the beginning that is before the creation of the world the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had then his being for if he was not before all things how then could all things be made by him The first word then signifies his eternity the next his personality And the word was with God which phrase expresseth a distinct mode or manner of subsistence of the Son from the Father because no Person is said to be with himself but with another Person And the last words expresly assert his Divinity And the word was God See this Text expounded in a Sermon of his Grace the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. All are yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified Matt. 5. 27 28. Ye have heard it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit adultery But I say unto you That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart So that the Christian morality is much more refined and reaches not only to the external actions but even those of the mind the most secret imaginations Matt. 11. 9. But what went ye out for to see a Prophet yea I say unto you and more than a Prophet Matt. 8. 20. Jesus saith unto them The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head Here in these Verses there is a noble rise in the sence of the words and without much impropriety they are reducible to this Figure ANAPHORA Anaphora from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring back again 't is a repetition of a word in the beginning of several Sentences Thus The voice of the Lord is powerfull the voice of the Lord is full of majesty Psal 29. 4. Praise the Lord from the Heavens praise him in the height praise him all his Angels praise him Sun and Moon where the Royal Psalmist affectionately calls upon the whole order of created Beings to sing Praises to their Maker Charity suffereth long and is kind charity envieth not charity vaunteth not her self where the abstract is made use of for the concrete the charitable Person Psal 118. v. 8 9. Jer. 50. 35 36 37. A Sword is upon the Chaldeans saith the Lord a sword is upon the Inhabitants of Babylon and upon her Princes and upon her wise men a sword is upon her mighty men and they shall be dismayed a sword is upon their horses and upon their chariots This induction of Particulars with the continual application of the same term to every period renders the discourse much more emphatical and infuseth into the mind a notion of universal ruin and desolation EPISTROPHE Epistrophe conversio from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verto This Figure returns the same word at the end of several Clauses Thus Are they Israelites so am I Are they the seed of Abraham so am I 2 Cor. 11. 22. Have we not prophesied in thy Name and done miracles in thy Name Matt. 7. 22. See Psal 106. where His mercy endureth for ever is the conclusion of every Verse and very proper to express the endless duration of his Mercy SYMPLOCE Symploce complicatio from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fold together when the same sort of words are in the beginning and in the end of several Sentences Jer. 9. 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches And this is the very Admonition of God himself That we should not in the least place our hope and confidence upon the best of worldly things but only upon God Almighty who is only able to save and defend us EPANALEPSIS Epanalepsis resumptio from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipio This Figure makes use of the same word or expression in the beginning and ending of the same Sentence Phil. 4. 4. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice 2 Sam. 18. 33. O Absalom my son my son EPANADOS Epanados regressio This Figure employs the same word at the beginning and middle of a Sentence or in the middle and end of it as if they were inverted and the contrary sence turned upon them Isai 5. 20. Wo unto them who call good evil and evil good who put light for darkness and darkness for light Rom. 7. 19. For the good that I would I doe not but the evil which I would not that I doe How are the terms here inverted good is the object of his will but still 't is impracticable and evil tho' contrary to his will and intention◠yet that he puts into practice John 8. 47. He that is of God heareth God's word ye therefore hear it not because ye are not of God that is because ye are not regenerate by his Spirit 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one we are the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life that is the Gospel is preached to all persons without any distinction but the blessed efficacy of it is extreamly different and varies according to the disposition of the receiver for 't is life and salvation to the believer but to the faithless and disobedient inevitable death and destruction PARONOMASIA Paronomasia a likeness of words derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in composition signifies with alteration and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to change or allude to a name This Figure employs the same word to a very different purpose and sometimes it changes one letter or syllable of a word to another sence and signification Matt. 8. 22. Let
another mode of expression than our other thoughts which spring only from the cooler debates of reason and argument If you question this I appeal only to the most natural Impressions of any Passions and whether Nature her self discovers no sensible difference when she expresses her self in a passionate way as suppose now in a most violent transport of Anger and cannot you easily by the very Face discern what passes in the soul of a furious man Observe the fire the very sparkling of his eyes the wrinkles of his brow the most sudden changes of his countenance the mighty eagerness and the hesitation of his words are not these the natural expressions of this angry Passion which give us notice of the most disorderly motions of our spirits and that the very stream of our thoughts are in a most violent and rapid motion and therefore to express this furious Passion to the very life must there not be as great an alteration in all our words and phrases as there is in our very Faces and Complexions and this is enough to show that this and every Passion works very differently upon our minds and requires different expressions and colours of speech to give it a sensible representation Rhetorick then is a natural Language and a necessary Ornament of Discourse and many an honest Gentleman now and then stumbles upon a Trope or a Figure who was never acquainted with Mr. Butler or Farnaby and much less with such profane Authours as Aristotle or Quinctilian And are not Metaphors very frequent in holy Scriptures The Prophets themselves seldom give us a description of the fury of God's displeasure but they give him arms and hands and describe God preparing his mighty instruments of ruine his lightning and his thunder and by such formidable representations as these they work more powerfully upon our minds and there create the deeper impressions of his almighty Power But if Rhetorical Figures are as common as necessary must not that man be very ridiculous who examines every thing in a strict and literal sence What strange what mighty inconsistent notions must they then conceive of God himself or of his divine Attributes What gross and very absurd Idea's of his infinite Power if they should fansie God cannot accomplish the vengeance of his high displeasure without material organs without arms and legs Must not such a man transform himself into any shape of errour and delusion if he pretends to maintain the doctrine of literal explications must he not imbibe the false opinion of every Sect as often as their pernicious errours are sounded upon a literal sence and meaning Thus the Quaker must become a Roman Catholick because according to his Principle he must understand these words according to the very letter this is my body so must he believe the bread and wine to be substantially changed into the very body and blood of Christ and so at the least eventually if not designedly he will maintain the most absurd doctrine of Transubstantiation and truly perhaps their inward light may prove as dangerous and not so different from Infallibility But I do not charge them as if literal expositions of Scripture was their constant universal Principle but if they expound any Text literally though never so absurd and so contrary to other places of Scripture they may as well explain others in the very same manner till at last they become nothing but mistake and contradiction And now if they will needs understand this Text literally Matt. 5. 34. Swear not at all and not as if it was only a prohibition of rash and voluntary swearing in our common discourses although St. Paul himself useth an oath for confirmation Rom. 1. 9. For God is my witness whom I serve that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my Prayers And again Gal. 1. 20. Now the things which I write unto you behold before God I lye not Nay even God himself when he could not swear by a greater he swore by himself Heb. 6. 13. This is enough to show that the taking of an oath is not sinfull in its own nature when St. Paul and even God almighty makes use of an oath and therefore if the Quaker will still expound this Text according to the very letter in contradiction to other Texts of holy Scripture and in direct opposition to the very practice of St. Paul and even of God himself he may with as much reason expound other Texts in the same manner till he runs himself into the wildest absurdities A great Master of Eloquence has long a go made the observation That the Lawgiver of the Jews meaning Moses had a most incomparable notion of God's infinite power when he describes the Almighty thus giving his Orders for the creation and God says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let there be light and there was light as if there was no distinction between his pleasure for the creation of any Being and the actual formation of it and is not the expression it self very stately and full of majesty for he only says Let there be and it was so There are other expressions no less emphatical representing God most infinite in power and operation Isaiah 40. 12. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meeted out the heaven with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in Scales and the hills in a balance As much as to say I the Lord only have done this And verse 17. All nations before him are as nothing and to whom then will you liken me saith the Lord And how does holy David break forth in a mighty admiration of his infinite power and greatness Psalm 104. 1 2 3. O Lord my God! Thou art very great thou art cloathed with honour and majesty who coverest thy self with light as with a garment who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain who layest the beams of his chamber in the waters who maketh the clouds his chariot comes flying upon the wings of the wind What can better represent to us his most incredible swiftness than when he thus describes God not only flying but even upon the very wings of the wind which still gives a most sensible Idea of the quickest motion that is possible Psalm 50. 11 12. How does God himself assert his own Supremacy over all things I know the fowles of the mountains and the wild beasts of the field are mine If I were hungry I would not tell thee for the world is mine and the fulness thereof Isaiah 5. 26. How does God promise that he will accomplish things most difficult with the greatest ease and facility to himself I will says God Lift up a sign unto the nations a far I will hiss unto them from the ends of the world and behold they shall come with speed God does not say he will call them with the mighty voice of his thunder but with the least kind of noise as it
sometimes afraid to venture at a phrase or a fineness of a period lest they should deviate more from the true sence and signification of the Text and after all you will discover some elegant Turns and some Beauties of Rhetorick in the Translations which do not so clearly shine out in the very Original which I have purposely inserted sometimes to let my Reader see that if our Translators lose in one place yet they gain in another As to my own part I shall only tell you this that I was extreamly pleased when any Figure was lodg'd upon any Text of Scripture that seem'd to favour and countenance any false doctrines especially the Romish or the Socinian that I might take an occasion to make a little inroad into them and recover them from the unkind and false imprisonment of the enemy and when several other Texts of Scripture were in darkness and obscurity or under any difficulty I have endeavour'd to let in more light into them by an easie explication or a short paraphrase upon the words which perhaps were not always so very plain and obvious at least to every man's capacity and apprehension Sir I will now trouble you no farther but I hope you will receive it kindly as if in this Essay some things at least were tolerable Farewell Divine Eloquence OR AN ESSAY Upon the Tropes Figures Contained in the Holy Scriptures A TROPE A Trope is nothing else but the change of a word from its natural Signification into another whereby the Idea of any thing is more sensible to us Instance Matt. 4. 19. And I will make you Fishers of men that is Instruments of drawing and converting men unto God and our Saviour useth the term by way of allusion to them that being their former Employ Psal 65. 14. The valleys says our Psalmist shall stand so thick with Corn that they shall Laugh and Sing that is A very plentifull harvest is the occasion of joy and pleasantness laughing or singing are the proper expressions of a gay and chearfull Spirit and so those terms applied to other things by way of Analogy represent to us the excessive joy and pleasure of Plenty Luke 13. 32. Go and tell that Fox meaning Herod that crafty and politick Dissembler and the application of the term gives us a fuller notion of his Hypocrisie I shall here set down only three Affections belonging to a Trope leaving the fourth to those who are more industrious to find it out viz. Hyperbole Allegory Metalepsis HYPERBOLE Hyperbole from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exceed This Figure represents things greater lesser or better than they are in their own natures and this sort of Trope is extremely usefull when our ordinary terms are so very weak that they carry in them no proportion with the notices of our mind and so the soul for fear of speaking too little presently flies out and enlargeth too much but let no one fansie that the use of this Figure is in the least unlawfull for if we sometimes express ourselves in the highest or in the lowest degree imaginable yet 't is no Lye for we have not the least intention to deceive any one but we only fly so extravagantly high that our discourse may come down with more force into the minds of our audience and give them such a sense of what we are talking as may oblige them to conceive 't is highly impossible or else to enlarge their thoughts about it 2 Sam. 1. 23. of the latter kind Saul and Jonathan were swifter than Eagles they were stronger than Lions and by such sensible Idea's and familiar Resemblances you conceive still but an higher notion of their mighty strength and activity Gen. 32. 12. Thy Seed shall be as the Sand of the sea which cannot be numbred for multitude and the Comparison only implies that his family should be exceeding numerous Psal 107. 26. The Waves of the sea Mount up to Heaven and go Down again to the Deep that is the foaming Waters are carried up exceedingly high and they tumble down again into the lowest places of the Earth See Luke 10. 15. to the same purpose Rom 9. 3. I could Wish that my self were Accursed from Christ and as One cut off from the Communion of his Church for my Brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh which Wish was absolutely a thing impossible yet such a kind of Imprecation could not but give the Jews an infinite Assurance of St. Paul's excessive Love and Charity to them See John 21. 25. the World it Self could not Contain the books that should be written a figurative expression very large Gen. 11. 4. Let us Build a Tower whose Top may reach up unto Heaven that is rise up exceeding high and lofty There are two sorts of this Figure Hyperbole Auxesis and Meiosis Aaxesis James 4. 1. From whence come Wars and fightings among you Wars is a word that carries in the very sound of it a publick Dispute and Engagement of Nations against one another but the term here is only made use of by way of amplification and signifies the private quarrels and animosities of Christians among themselves Judges 5. 4 5. Lord when thou Marchedst out of Edom the earth Trembled and the heavens Dropped the clouds also Dropped with water the mountains Melted before the Lord Not that all these wonderfull Effects did then actually come to pass but they are here specified to give us a mighty notion of God's presence and how the most sacred Majesty of it strikes an universal Fear and Consternation every where Meiosis Meiosis a Figure of diminution when we use a less word or expression than the matter requires James 4. 17. To him that Knoweth to doe Good and doth it Not to Him it is Sin but not a sin of the least degree as the phrase at first sight seems to import but of a very great Aggravation being against Reason and Reflection and so a very dangerous and presumptive sin Matt. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of the least of these commandments and shall teach men so shall be the Least in the king dom of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very soft expression and much milder than such sort of false Teachers can pretend to deserve but indeed it signifies such shall be accounted as nothing and insignificant in the Church of God 1 Cor. 10. 5. But with Many of them God was not Well pleased A very soft and favourable expression God was not well pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it is very plain by the Consequence that he was extremely angry insomuch that in the fury of his displeasure they were presently cut off and destroyed in the wilderness Matt. 3. 11. But he that Cometh after Me is Mightier than I whose Shooes I am not Worthy to Bear This was spoken by St. John not without the greatest sense of his own unworthiness even to that degree that he thinks himself not worthy to perform the offices of the meanest Servant
the dead bury their dead the first words signifie a moral death those that are dead in trespasses and sins but the last imply a natural death such as are dead and departed this life 2 Cor. 10. 3. Though we walk in the flesh yet we do not war after the flesh though we are men and made in the same fashion like other men yet in this respect we differ from them for we place no confidence in the arm of flesh no assistance from the world but all our sufficiency is from God 2 Cor. 6. 9. As unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live tho' some may look upon us as if they were not so desirous to know us in our afflictions yet others esteem and value us the more and are willing to know us in the greatest of our Calamities PLOCE Ploce derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind together This Figure pronounceth a word so emphatically that it denotes not only the thing signified but also the very quality of it thus 't is no unusual thing to repeat the proper name of a man to express some remarkable vertue belonging to him as we may say In that action Alexander was Alexander that is a mighty Conquerour Gen. 27. 36. Is he not rightly called Jacob saith Esau for he hath supplanted me these two times POLYPTOTON Polyptoton from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 variatio casuum This Figure employs words of the same derivation but alters the termination or the Mood Case or Gender Rom. 2. 21. Thou that preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal Rom. 11. 16. For of him and through him and to him are all things that is God is supream and disposeth every thing to serve the wise ends of his providence 2 Tim. 3. 13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived See the various termination of the same words Heb. 6. 14. Figures in reference to a sentence are such as affect the whole sentence not without some emotion of the Soul ECPHONESIS Ecphonesis Exclamation This is a most pathetical sort of Figure whereby the Orator discovers the excessive passion of his own mind and so makes a suitable impression upon the affections of his Audience This Figure is varied many ways First In a way of wonder and admiration of God's infinite Perfections Rom 11. 33. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out Secondly In a way of sorrow and mourning for God's absence or of his disregard to the voice of our Petitions Psal 22. 1 2. My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me O my God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not Isai 6. 5. Wo is me for I am undone Thus in a way of desperation how is the Prophet extreamly sensible of his own unworthiness as if he thought the forgiveness of his sin was now impossible this was the dreadfull apprehension of men in former times when God did more signally manifest himself Deut. 5. 25. Judg. 6. 22. and 13. 22. Thirdly In a way of expostulation with God himself for his Mercy and Compassion Ob remember that my life is wind Thus he makes the short continuance of his being a very great inducement that God should be more indulgent to him and preserve him from sudden ruin and destruction Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from the body of this death Job 6. 11 12. What is my strength that I should hope and What is my end that I should prolong my life How does holy Job here complain of his insufferable miseries and longs most passionately to be at rest in his grave as if he despaired of any cessation from his pains and afflictions so long as he was alive On that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for Rom. 9. 20. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest egainst God A severe reprehension to our peevish murmurings and complaints as if God had not an absolute power over us to punish us unless we our selves gave our consent to the inflictions of it Fourthly In a way of censure and reprehension Acts 12. 10. O full of subtilty thou child of the devil thou enemy of all righteousness And Can there possibly be a worse Character than this Fifthly In a way of most earnest wishing Psalm 55. 6. O that I had the wings of a Dove that I might flee away and be at rest Sixthly In a way of infinite commiseration and pity of our unhappy condition Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen doth gather her thickens under her wings and ye would not How does God himself mourn for the misery of his People that they so neglected all the means to their salvation when he himself infinitely desired to preserve them even with the very same degrees of tenderness as the most affectionate creature desires to save and hover over her Young Lament 1. 1 2. How is the golden city spoiled how doth the city sit solitary that was full of people how is she become a widow And so the Prophet goes on in a most elegant manner to describe the misery of her ruin and fall from her prosperity Seventhly In a way of triumph and exultation 1 Cor. 15 55. Oh death where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victory Eighthly In a transport of love and admiration Psal 84. 1. Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles thou Lord of hosts As if the Royal Psalmist was in such a rapture that he could give no adequate notion of his love and delight in God's house by a cold affirmation of the pleasure of it but was forced to run himself into an Ecstasie and so leaves the question undetermined as if it was unexpressible EPIPHONEMA Epiphonema is an Acclamation containing some very remarkable sentence at the close of our discourse it is as it were the last finishing stroke which we desire to leave upon the affections of our Audience Thus St. Paul after he had confuted several false opinions concerning the manner of the resurrection at last he recommends the doctrine of it advising them upon the certain hopes and expectations of another life to be constant in all manner of holiness Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for asmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Matt. 6. 21. Our Saviour here endeavours to call off their affections from an excessive pursuit of the world for if they did engage their thoughts so exceedingly they would leave no room for Heaven and then at last to leave his discourse still more warm upon their spirits thus he concludes For where your treasure is there
to us we might fansie there was some kind of truth in those impious and pernicious doctrines which tell us God design'd to make man to make him miserable even from all eternity but how unworthy are such notions of God who is infinite in goodness and mercy how contradictory to his loving-kindness to us Not willing that any should perish but that all should come and be saved Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God where the Passion of sorrow is applied to the Holy Ghost as a personal act and cannot with any propriety be ascribed to a mere power or faculty as some fansie the Holy Spirit and not to be a real Person Grieve not then the Holy Ghost the third Person in the Blessed Trinity lest he withdraw his comfort his joy and consolation from your heart lest the blessed influence of his grace departeth from you as from an unpleasant conversation Gen. 6. 6. God is said to repent See also 1 Sam. 15. 11 29. Not that there is the least change or alteration in God but only in the object in the works of his hand which were once good but now are evil for God himself is unchangeable and always the same but 't is his eternal will and pleasure that wicked men should be miserable and good men happy either here in this world or at least in the world to come which always is accomplished in some respect or other though we are sometimes unable to make the discovery of it we cannot look into the hearts of men and there see their joys or their sorrows growing up in their minds and therefore how often do we make a false estimate of the condition of the ungodly man and fansie him to be at ease and quiet in his thoughts and to live with pleasure and satisfaction who upon reflection upon his past actions and upon expectation of death and judgment is often a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief full of trouble and anxiety and thinks himself unhappy and miserable even beyond all expression Thus when God is said to descend which implies a local motion a motion from one place into another yet the phrase by interpretation signifies that God did there reveal and manifest himself Gen. 11. 5. Gen. 18. 21. I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come to me and if not I will know here God himself discourseth as a man to his neighbour as if he was not a Being of infinite knowledge but did receive his notice and information of worldly affairs by a gradual course of thinking and observation and by farther enquiries into second causes Thus God suffers himself to be discribed like a Judge who repairs to the place where the matter in question was transacted that by his personal appearance he may more fully and easily assure himself of the innocence or the guilt of the accused person and one reason why God makes use of such a form of speaking is to certifie us that there is not always one event to the righteous and to the wicked but that he rewards or punisheth man according to the rules and equity of Justice and not with unadviseable rashness and indeliberation And the Lord called unto Adam and said Where art thou Not that this kind of question in the least signifies that God possibly could be ignorant where Adam was but this way of speaking is rather a formal citation or a summons to Adam who seems unwilling to come and appear before his offended God being extreamly conscious of his sin and guiltiness and of his fall from the happy state of innocence and now beholding a mighty train of miseries which were to follow him as a just retribution for his disobedience One of the Fathers is of opinion this expression Where art thou is rather a severe kind of reprehension to Adam as if God said to terrifie him more exceedingly From what grace and innocence art thou fallen Come then and appear before me Where art thou and behold Adam was afraid And God blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiply and fill the waters in the seas and let the fowl multiply in the earth which kind of phrases denote nothing else but his divine appointment of the encrease of his Creatures in their kind for certainly you can never be so unkind to your own sence and reason as to fansie God speaks to his irrational Creatures as if they were capable to hear and obey his pleasure but God rather dictates to their proper natures and by natural instinct and inclinations he has given them power and virtue and efficacy to propagate and preserve their kind Isai 5. 6. I will command the clouds that they rain no more upon it and now who supposes that God himself presently sent strict orders to the Clouds to keep back their fall of waters for the expressian imports no more but this that God by the course of natural causes so disposeth things in heaven and earth that at such a time the Clouds of heaven should be void of water so that he orders second causes and the operations of them not according to the present exigency but by his infinite prospect into futurity he does antecedently so manage every thing that nothing falls out unexpectedly but according to his will and pleasure Psalm 18. 10. He rode upon a Cherub and did fly yea God did fly upon the wings of the wind which expression conveys to our mind a more sensible notion of speed God did not ride but fly even upon the very wings of the wind which is the highest degree of speedy motion that possibly can be describ'd to frame in us an Idea of his incredible swiftness And now because God is so indulgent to submit himself to our Capacities must we presently pretend to describe him according to the narrow proportions of man How does God baffle us how does he put us to silence when he is pleas'd to ask us questions beyond the compass of our knowledge Hath the rain a Father or who hath begotten the drops of dew Job 38. 28. that is Am not I the Lord and the Author of these and is there any one besides Job 38. 19. Where is the way where the light dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place thereof that is No man knows the particular points of the Sun 's rising or setting and now that God may make us still more sensible of our ignorance Hast thou says God entered into the springs of the seas or hast thou walked in the search of the depth that is Thou art perfectly a stranger to the whole course of nature Vers 22 23. Hast thou entred into the treasures of snow or hast thou seen the treasures of hail which I reserved against the time of trouble against the day of war and battle All which assure us that we are unacquainted with the secret cause and origin use and production of these things and