vel retardabit aliquis fulmen vel fulgur cum deus emittere petit Scult Neque differt illa cum audienda est vox ejus Jun i. e. fulgetra tonitruum praenuncia exhibet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non differt i. e. praemittit Jun Some understand the raine and showers which usually follow upon or after a great thunder and we commonly call them thunder showers Others understand the Lightning and the Thunder as if he had said When Gods purpose is declared that there shall be lightning and thunder he will not stay them or take them by the heele as the word properly signifieth whence Jacob had his name because when Esau was coming into the world Jacob took him by the heele as if he would have stayed or stopped his birth at least have got into the world before him and therefore Esau said Gen. 27.36 Is he nâ—t rightly called Jacob for he hath supplanted me these two times Which some render according to the letter of the Text My brother may well be called an Heeler for he hath heeled me these two times In this sense the Lord will not stay the birth and breaking forth of these terrible twins Thunder and Lightning Lastly learned Junius referrs them to the Lightnings only rendring He doth not defer them when his voyce is to be heard which he thus expounds He sends lightning before foretelling thunder will follow But I conceive the former exposition more cleare which refers this not staying or he will not stay both to thunder and lightning in consort or together Hence note When once God speaks the word and is resolved upon the doing of a thing there is no stopping of him nor will he stay his work He will not take thunder and lightning by the heele when he hath bid them go We have a parallel sense to this câ—ncerning the thunder and lightning of divine Judgements Zeph. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together O gather your selves together before the decree bring forth As if he had said If once the decree bring forth if once God declare that wrath shall come there is no recalling of it He will not stay it when his voyce is heard for then Isa 43.13 The Lord will work and nâ—ne shall let him he will not stop it himself and none else can Thunder and lightning shall come whosoever stand in their way must down And as none can lett God by power so none shall lett him by prayer if once he be resolved ahd hath sent forth his decree therefore do not provoke the Lord to give out the word for then your case is desperate There 's no opposing the work of God or God in his working He will not stay them when his voyce is heard Vers 5. God thundreth marveilously with his voyce great things doth he that we cannot comprehend Consider how often this word is repeated He roareth with his voice He thundereth with the voice of his excellency and here He thundereth marveilously This may teach us First which hath been noted before that the works of God in nature are to be heeded Secondly that we are very backward to heed them Thirdly this is so often ascribed to God least we should think that thunder is only a work of nature God thundereth marveilously Tonat mirabilia Hebr Numerus pluralis indicat ingentem admirationem stuporem mortalium ad vocem tonitrui Pined The words may be read God thundereth marvels 't is in the plural number We render well God thundereth marveilously but there is a greater Emphasis taking it in the plural number God thundereth marvels Consider thunder and lightning in a proper or in a metaphorical sense there are many marvels or wonders in them Naturalists observe many marvels in natural thunder and lightnings these sometimes melt the sword without hurt to the scabbard dissolve the mettal not consuming the purse break the bones and not the flesh these spoyl the Wine without staving or breaking the cask kill or stifle the child in the womb and not the mother God thunders marveilously in these things Again how many marveilous Judgments hath God wrought by thunder how often hath he destroyed the enemies of his people and the blasphemers of his great Name by thunder and lightning from Heaven Anastatius the Emperour an Eutichian persecutor of the Orthodox Christians was slaine by thunder The History of the Church speaks of a Christian Legion or Brigade of Christians in the Army of Aurelius the Emperour who earnestly prayed the whole Army being in a great strait that God would appear for their help and the defeating of the enemy whereupon the Loâ—d sent raine for their reliefe as also thunder and lightning by which the enemy was discomfited and destroyed whereupon that Legion was called The thundering Legion When Julian the Apostate meerly to despite the prophesie of Christ Mat. 24. who had said of the Temple at Jerusalem there should not be left one stone upon another Julian I say in despite of this prophesie yea to despite it gave command for the building of the Temple at Jerusalem and upon his command there was a great quantity of materialls brought together for that purpose but the Lord seeing the pride of this enemy sent a marveilous thunder with an Earthquake which not only amazed the workmen but scattered those materials put a stop to the work Now as there are many marvels wrought by natural thunder and lightning so also by that which is spiritual Nor will it be unuseful for us to consider them upon occasion of what is said of natural thunder in this Scripture God thundereth marveilously in the dispensation of his Word or in his dealings with the souls of sinners to bring them home to himself and to turn them from their sins We may not excluding the proper sense profitably expound the whole 29th Psalm in this spiritual sense wherein the Lord under the Allegory of a terrible thunder-tempest seems to give a prophetical description of his mighty power in propagating the Gospel to the ends of the earth which goeth not out as an empty sound beating the aire but with wonderful efficacy convincing the world of sin and of their need of Christ to save them from their sins And to shew that this is the scope of the Psalm David begins it with a strong exhortation v. 1 2. Give unto the Lord O ye mighty give ye unto the Lord glory and strength Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness As if David had said O ye the mighty Princes and Potentates of the world who in most places and times have contemned God and his holy worship and being your selves either irreligious or engaged in a false religion have used your power against and hindered the progress of the Gospel and the advancement of true religion I advise and admonish you to lay down that spirit to embrace thâ— Gospel to love the power of godliness to propagate
can stop and bridle our boisterous and angry passions towards those that have offended us The Lord saith unto or concerning Pharoah Exod. 9.16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power c. What power The Lord shewed forth a twofold power in the raising up of Pharoah First the power of his Arm that he was able to cast down such a mighty Prince Secondly The power of his Patience that he spared him from ruin till he had sent ten messages to him and poured ten Plagues upon him The Lord was so provoked by Pharoah that he might have crushed him upon the first denyal but he forbare him long the Lord might well say I have set thee up that I might shew forth my power my power in forbearing thee long as well as in destroying thee at last The Apostle speaks of this power Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his power known the Lord will not only shew his wrath hereafter in breaking those vessels of destruction but he shews his power now in suffering them long and therefore he to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Here 's the strength of the Lords heart he bears long with wicked men Secondly There is a mighty power or strength of heart in God as in long-suffering towards impenitent sinners so in pardoning sinners who repent Who Magni animi est ignoscere but the Lord hath such a strength of Spirit to pardon and passe by offences After the People of Israel had mutined and murmured Sola sublimis et excelsa virtus est nec quicquam magnum nisi quod simul placidum Sen. and so provoked the Lord to the height Moses begs and bespeaks the power of the Lords pardoning-mercy Numb 14.17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity c. As if Moses had said Lord thou must put forth as much power in pardoning the sins of this People as ever thou didst in delivering them from their bondage-sufferings in Egypt Or thus O Lord thou mightest magnifie the power of thine anger in punishing this rebellious People but rather magnifie the power of thy patience and long-sufferance in sparing and pardoning them O what strength of heart is in God who passeth by the great transgressions of his People Thirdly The Lord hath a mightinesse of heart in executing his wrath upon his incorrigible enemies Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger The anger of God is such a thing as no man can go to the bottome of it in his thoughts The Lords wrath is powerful beyond all imagination and apprehension his anger as well as his love passeth knowledge In all these respects the Lord hath strength of heart or he is mighty in strength of heart as well as in hand or arm The greatest discoveries of Gods power are in the wayes of his mercy His Judgements are called his strange work but his mercy is his strength as the Prophet calls it Isa 27.5 where warning the Bryars and Thorns to take heed of warring with God he gives a sinner this counsel Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me But what is meant by the strength of God Some render Apprehendet arcem meam i. e. Christum Coc. Let him take hold of my Tower A Tower is a place of strength but here put for that which God glories in most as his chiefest strength even his goodnesse meâ—cy patience and long-sufferance yea Christ himself as if he had said Let not the sinner struggle with my strength let him not think by strâ—ng hand to overcome my strength but let him take hold of my Christ through whom all those glorious perfections of mine my Goodnesse Mercy Patience c. are given out to the children of men and he shall make peace with me This is the true strength of God nor doth any thing more set forth the strength of man than this that he is ready to pardon to forgive and passe by only impotent spirits are much for revenge 'T is our weaknesse not to passe by wrongs and injuries done to us To bear wrongs is to be like the high and mighty God to bear them in mind is to be like the lowest and weakest spirited men He is strong indeed who is strong in patience against Offenders and as strong in mercy to pardon humble ones as in power to punish stubborn and rebellious ones Secondly By way of Illation Note 'T is the greatness of Gods Spirit or the strength of his heart and mind which moderates him towards sinful man That which keeps men in a moderate frame towards men is true greatnesse of spirit They that are of such a spirit will neither despise those that are below them nor envy those that are above them not willingly oppose those that are equal to them The envy and opposition of others greatnesse ariseth from the meannesse and weaknesse of our own spirits The reason why one man is affraid that another should be high is because himself hath not a real highnesse of spirit or the reason why most oppose the greatnesse of others is the littlenesse of their own spirits Whence spring contentions and strifes envyings at and underminings of one another come they not from the narrownesse of our hearts that we cannot rejoyce in the good of others or from the impotent jealousies of our hearts that we fear others will do us hurt If such a one get up he will pull me down if such a one be high 't is dangerous to me therefore I must pull him down if I can whence comes this but from lownesse and poornesse of spirit from that pitiful thing in man called Pusillanimity The Lord hath so great a Spirit that as he envieth no mans greatnesse so he feareth no mans greatness and therefore doth that which is just and equal to all sorts of men bad and good as is further shewed in the next verse Vers 6. He preserveth not the life of the wicked but giveth right to the poor As if Elihu had said Though the Lord doth not despise any that are great yet he doth not respect any that aro bad he preserveth not the life of the wicked And as the Lord will not do any wrong to the rich so to be sure he will give right to the poor What Elihu had affiâ—med of God he now proveth by instances or particulars and that both in respect of the wicked and the godly That the Lord is most just and righteous he proveth thus He preserveth not the life of the wicked That 's the first instance and he expresseth it negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non viâ—ificat He preserveth not the life of the wicked he
in pleasure is dead while she lives If it be a dead life to live in pleasure how then is it here promised as a favour as a mercy to them that obey and serve God that they shall spend their years in pleasures I answer by distinguishing of pleasure pleasures are of two sorts First lawful and honest delights of such we read Gen. 49.20 where dying Jacob blessing of Asher saith Dabit deliâ—ias regis Hebr Mont He shall yield royal dainties or pleasures for a King meaning he shall give not only honest but honourable pleasures and contentments such as befit Kings Secondly There are unlawful and dishonest pleasures which the Apostle calleth Heb. 11.25 the pleasures of sin for a season A wo will be their portion who live in such pleasures Go to now ye rich men weep and howl saith the Apostle James Chap. 5.1 why so among other Reasons this is given for one vers 5. Ye have lived in pleasure wantonizing and gluttonizing and Epicurizing in such base pleasures you have lived therefore wo to you To live in sinful or unlawful pleasures is death and misery or a life worse than death but to live a life of lawful and honest pleasure is a mercy the mercy here promised and the very life of our lives Secondly We may distinguish of pleasures thus they are either first Corporal pleasures pleasures of the body of which we read Job 21.25 One dyeth in his full strength and another dyeth in the bitterness of his Soul and never eateth in pleasure that is he hath had no contentment in the body or no bodily contentment but was alwayes sickly crazy pining languishing and ill at ease his life was tedious even a burden to him for he could never eat in pleasure scarce last what he did eat Secondly There are Spiritual pleasures Psal 36.8 They shall drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures David speaks there of Saints what enjoyments and Joyes they have in the Church or House of God attending upon him in holy Ordinances Thirdly There are eternal pleasures Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of jâ—y and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Such are all the joyes of Heaven or of a glorified state Now when Elihu saith they shall spend their years in pleasures we are not to take it meerly for honest corporal pleasures for such a life at best is but the life of a Beast but we are to take these corporal pleasures either as heightned by better that is as spiritualiz'd by the sense of the love of God and mixed with spiritual pleasures or for those purely spiritual pleaâ—ures which the soul finds in communion with God alone having nothing to do or no intercourse with creatures drinking at the River of his pleasures in Prayer in Hearing in Meditation in breaking Bread in Singing Now to spend our dayes either in these purely spiritual pleasures taking in also those corporal pleasures so qualified as before and duly circumstantiated is a high a very high blessing and mercy indeed So then here is nothing to feed the fancy of Epicures here is no promise of sensual though of sensitive pleasures these only are pleasures sit for the Servants of God these pleasures only become Saints as for those other pleasures Christ saith of them in the Parable of the Sower Luke 8.14 They choak the Word of God and God will not feed his people with such pleasures as a reward of serving him as shall choak the Word and unfit them for his service No we are to watch against and deny our selves such pleasures as our Lord Jesus caution'd his Disciples Luke 21.34 Take heed least at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares As if he had said Take heed of carnal pleasures as much as of worldly cares for as they are alike destructive to the present purity of the Soul so they alike endanger our future peace and lay us open to the surprize of Judgment And as such pleasures ruine the state of the soul so of the body too with which they have nearest cognaâ—ion Hence that of Solomon Prov. 21.17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man There pleasure is opposed to work or labour He that is all for taking his pleasure and will not follow his Calling this man comes quickly to poverty and will dye a Beggar Suppose the pleasure be lawful yet if he loves pleasure and is at his pleasure when he should be at his labour he will soon be reduced to a morsel of bread and become a poor man But he that loveth unlawful pleasures shall not only be a poor man but will prove a wicked man Thou that art given to pleasures Isa 47.8 is the Character of Babylon God gives good men pleasure but 't is the mark of an evil man to be given to pleasure They that love pleasure are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 and such must needs be the worst of men And therefore we are not to understand this Text of any sinful pleasure nor of a life meerly lead in lawful pleasure that a man should be all upon his pleasure and lay aside his Calling Elihu doth not oppose pleasure to work labour or business but to trouble sorrow and affliction They that obey and serve the Lord shall spend their years in pleasures in honest pleasures that is they shall live not only contentedly but joyfully The Lord alloweth us to take any honest pleasure while we live but not to live in pleasure he alloweth us to take our delights but our delights must not take us There is yet another Query for it may be said Is this a truth that they who obey and serve the Lord shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures I answer to that First If we take it absolutely and universally we cannot affirme that every one who serveth and obeyeth God shall alwayes have pleasure that is outward comforts and contentments in this world many of the Lords faithfull servants have lived in paine and sorrow so that if as David spake in this case Psal 73.5 we should speak thus we should offend against the generation of his servants Some flourish in grace who wither in worldly comforts There is no certain connexion between these two Grace and outward peace or pleasure the providences of God vary in this poynt as himself pleaseth Neither is it true that the true servants of God do uninterruptedly or alwayes enjoy inward pleasures comforts and contentments for he that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants may walk in darkness and trouble of spirit and see no light Isa 50.10 We are therefore to understand this Scripture as others of like nature of that which is commonly done or of that which we may upon good ground expect from God and in faith wait for that if we serve and obey him he will
thunder The Roman Historian reports of that great Emperour who commanded all the world and made the nations to tremble that yet he himself trembled at this Augustus Caesar was so afraid of thunder that when-ever he travelled abroad he caused the skin of a Sea Calfe to be carried about with him because it was in their superstition believed to be an Amulet or preservative against any hurt by thunder And the same Author tells us of another of that ranke a heathen Roman Emperour that was so afraid of thunder that he would hide his head when he heard it and sometimes ran under a bed for shelter I shall have further occasion to speak of the terribleness of thunder at the 4th and 5th verses I touch it here because according to our interpretation this was it at which the heart of Elihu trembled Secondly Taking the words more generally as this trembling might arise from the consideration of any other of the wonderful woâ—ks of God Note The great appearances of God in his power may and should affect us even with feare and trembling The heart of man may wel move out of his place when he considers how dreadful God is in his place and what wonders he both doth and can do David casting his eye up to the heavens and the host of them Psal 8. concludes with admiration v. 8. O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the world They who have but little knowledge of the works of God cannot be much affected with them they who know them deeply cannot but be deeply affected with them Fooles and ignorant persons slight or lightly pass by any thing that God doth or speaks but they who are wise hearted will lay both his Word and Wo ks to heart their heaâ—ts will tremble and be moved out of their place Holy King David adviseth the Kings and Judges of the earth to serve the Lord with fear and to rejoyce with trembling Ps 2 11. And the holy Apostle Paul exhorteth all Christans to work out their salvation with fear and trembling Philip. 2.12 Now if we are to tremble in our dayly service how much more under dreadful providences For the close of this poynt remember there is a four-fold trembling or moving of the heart at the appearances of God or at the discoveries of his Power and Glory in his Word and in his Works First That which is natural Isa 7.2 When it was told the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart that is the heart of Ahaz was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the Wood are moved with the wind And when Felix heard Paul reasoning of righteousness temperance and the judgment to come he trembled The Judge trembled at the voyce of the prisoner 'T is natural for man to fear and tremble at the report of any truth which renders him guilty or of any trouble which over-masters his ability to withstand or avoyd it Secondly There is a Legal trembling proceeding from a spirit of bondage or the dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of God against sin Rom. 8.15 This in many is precedaneous to their true conversion and as a needle makes way for the spirit of grace and adoption by which thread they are united fastned unto God through faith walk in a child-like fear before him all their days Thirdly There is a penal or judiciary fear and trembling God in judgement sometimes fills the heart of sinful man with fear as the punishment of his sin They who have no fear of God in their hearts to keep or over-aw them graciously from sinning and living in a course of sin are delivered up to a spirit of fear which continually pursueth them with dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of God and of some imminent and impendent evils ready to fall upon them for their sins A dreadful sound is in their ears as Eliphas told Job Chap. 15.21 yea as he speaks there vers 24. trouble and anguish make him afraid they prevail against him as a King ready to battel The Lord threaten'd it as one of the sore Judgments that he would bring upon his People the Jewes for their disobedience Deut. 28.65 I will give thee a trembling heart yea he threaten'd Isa 52.17 to give them the dregs of the Cup of trembling Ezekiel Chap. 12.18 was commanded to tremble as a sign to the People of that penal fear and trembling which God would send upon them Such was that trembling spoken of Ezek. 26.16 Then all the Princes of the Sea shall come down from their Thrones and lay away their Robes and put off their broidered garments and shall cloath themselves with tremblings Doubtless they had little mind to such change of rayment they had rather have been cloathed with raggs but the Lord would make them do it And as those confederate Princes or friends of Tirus should cloath themselves with trembling so 't is prophesied Zech. 15.2 that Jerusalem should be not only a burthensome stone but a cup of trembling to all her enemies As if the Lord had said This shall be their punishment who would make my Jerusalem tremble I will make them tremble at the remembrance of Jerusalem or at the sight of those great things which I will do against them and for Jerusalem Fourthly There is a spiritual a gracious trembling and moving of the heart that 's it which this point calls us to and to which in those places lately mentioned both David Psal 2.11 and the Apostle Phil. 2.12 call us to It was well with Ephraim when it was thus with him Hos 13.1 When Ephraim spake trembling he was exalted that is when he was in a trembling humble self-denying frame he prospered and all things succeeded well with him The Lord is never better pleased with us than when he sees us in these tremblings Isay 66.2 To him will I look that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word These trembling ones are the men that God hath an eye upon and respect unto The prophet Habakkuk spake of himself Chap. 3.16 much like Elihu in the text When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice c. The prophet fore-saw a day of trouble and trembled at it and this gave him assurance that he should not tremble when he saw it for said he in the next words I trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble The more we tremble in our selves the more rest we have in God None have so little fear when trouble comes as they who fear before it comes Noah by faith moved by fear prepared an arke to the saving of his house Heb. 11.7 Thus to fear a flood is the best way to escape it 'T is not courage but stupidity not to fear and tremble when we hear of the judgments of God They who tremble graciously shall never tremble despairingly At this my heart trembleth c. Elihu having thus
the true knowledge of Jesus Christ and to encourage the faithfull dispencers and professors of it both by your favour and example worshiping the Lord in the beauty of holiness If any should ask Why is the Lord to be so worshipped why must he have such high honours from those that are high what doth he in the World which calls for such adoration David answers Meteorologically as well as Theologically he answers from the Clouds vers 3. The Voyce of the Lord is upon the Waters the God of glory thundreth the Lord is upon many Waters The voyce of the Lord is powerful the voyce of the Lord is full of Majesty As if he had said Although the Lord Jesus Christ will not set up an outward pompous political Kingdome such as that of Cyrus or Alexander c. yet by the Ministry of the Gospel he will erect a spiâ—itual Kingdome and gather to himself a Church that shall abide for ever out of all the Nations of the earth For the Gospel shall be carryed and preached to not only the people of Israel the Jewes but to the Gentiles all the world over that the minds of men may be awakened enlightned and moved with that unheard of Doctrine of Salvation by Christ which had been hid from Ages and Generations And though many shall be hardned against and oppose that glad-tydings yet because the God of glory thundereth that is because the voyce of the Lord is powerful and full of Majesty he accompanying the Ministry of the Gospel with power and terror like that of Thunder home to the Consciences of men for their conviction and conversion therefore it shall do great and glorious things subduing the greatest and stoutest sinners to the obedience of his Will This Thunder will cast down the strong holds of sin and every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. This is it which the Prophet David intendeth according to this allegorical interpretation by the effects of Thunder elegantly expressed vers 5 6 7 8 9 The Voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars yea the Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon that is proud and high-minded men who are in their own conceit as tall as Cedars these he will make to see that they are but shrubs these he will humble and break â—heir hearts by true repentance for the pride of their hearts and all the abominations of their lives Further vers 6. He maketh them also to skip like a Calf Lebanon and Syrion like a young Vnicorn that is the Lord by his thundering powerful voyce first will make them skip as frighted with fear and secondly as revived with joy Yet more vers 7. The Voyce of the Lord divideth the Flames of fire that is will send and divide to every one as they need 1 Cor. 12.11 the holy Spirit who is compared to and called Fire Mat. 3.11 and who came as with a Thunder-storm of a mighty rushing wind and with the appearance of cloven Tongues like as of fire and sate upon each one of the Apostles Acts 2.2 3. Nor did this Voyce of Thunder accompanied with divided flâ—mes of fire reach Jerusalem only for as it follows vers 8. The Vâ—yce of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness the Wilderness of Kadesh that is the Lord by the voyce of the Gospel shall go forth with power to those Gentiles who are like a wilderness barren oâ— goodness and unmanur'd in spirituals though they dwell in well-govern'd Cities and are well-furnished with Morals It shall go forth also to those Gentiles who inhabit wast wildernesses and are not so much as reduced to civility These wildernesses the thundering voice of the Lord hath shaken heretofore and doth shake at this day and will yet further shake that the fulness of the Gentiles may come in Many of these wildernesses hath the Lord turned into fruitful fields and pleasant lands by the voice of the Gospel sounding among them For in these wildernesses as it followeth vers 9. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve that is they that were as wild as untaught and untamed as the hind or any beast in the forrest he brings to the sorrows of theiâ— new-birth to Repentance and Gospel-humiliation And in doing this He as the Psalmist goes on discovereth the forrests that is opens the hearts of men which are as thick set and full grown with vanity pride hypocrisie self-love and self-sufficiency as also with wantonness and sensuality as any forest is over-grown with thickets of trees and bushes which deny all passage through till cleared away by cutting down or burning up Such an opening such a discovery doth the Lord make in the forrests of mens hearts by the Sword and Fire that is by the Word and Spirit of the Gospel and when all this is done the forrest becomes a Temple and as that verse concludes In his temple doth every one speak of his glory And if the floods of ungodliness rise up against this people whom the thunder and lightning of the Gospel have subdued to Christ and framed into a holy Temple then the Psalmist assureth us vers 10. The Lord sitteth upon the flood that is 't is under his power he ruleth and over-ruleth it yea The Lord sitteth King for ever and v. 11. The Lord will give strength to his people the Lord will bless his people with peace Thus the Lord thundereth marveilously and these are glorious marvels which he thundereth he converts sinners The thunder of the Gospel frights them out of sin and the grace of it gives them peace Thus though I like not their way who are given to allegorize the Scriptures yet I doubt not but we may make a profitable use both of this and many other Scriptures by way of allegory This being an undeniable truth which is the ground of it That the Lord puts forth as it were the power of Thunder and Lightning in the preaching of his Word these two things are to be marked First That Thunder and Lightning are a kind of Word of God to us they tell us though confusedly yet plainly enough for the conviction and condemnation of gainsayers there is a God the greatest Princes of the world have taken notice of Thunder and Tempest that there is a God over all governing all nor needs there any more teaching than that to condemne Athiests and Mockers at Religion We say proverbially of some men who make a rude noise they are so loud that we cannot hear God Thunder for them yet know there 's no noise can so drown the voice of Gods Thunder in the Clouds but it will condemn all that hear it not so as to acknowledg God in it Secondly We should mark that as Thunder and Lightning are a kind of Voice or Word of God to us so the Word of God or the Voice of God speaking in his Word is a kind of Thunder and Lightning to us
water as well as in congealing those mighty floods oâ— water into icy rocks David celebrateth the power of God in this also Psal 147.18 He sendeth out his word and melteth them that is the morsels of ice spoken of vers 17. He causeth the wind a warm thawing wind to blow and the waters flow that iâ— those waters which were bound up by the cold flow away by heat Some insist much upon this translation It is of the Lord that the waters are enlarged or straitned frozen or dissolved I leave it with the Reader which to pitch upon both are safe and honourable to God and proceed to the next verse Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 composita est praepositione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo significatur irrigatio a verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irrigare Pisc Vers 11. Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud he scattereth his bright cloud There is a four-fold reading or exposition of the former part of this verse By watering he wearieth the thick cloud First thus For watering or that he may water the earth Cum tempus irrigandi terrant est cogit condensat nubes illasquo magna aquarum copia gravidas effiâ—it Inde apud Hometum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. nubium congregatur Jupiter Bold he wearieth the thick cloud that is he calleth up so much vapour as burdens or wearieth the thick Cloud that he may have sufficient for the watering of the earth by rain God causeth his vapour to ascend saith the Prophet Jer. 10.13 that is he draws up much water by vapors as the matter of clouds or as the matter out of which clouds are made and he fills the cloud so full of water that it can scarce bear the weight and all this he doâ—h for the plentiful watering of the earth Secondly thus He causeth the cloud to give out or spend its water till it be weary We say of any thing that is spent to the last it is tiâ—ed and wearied Thus the Lord by watering wearies the thick cloud commanding the clouds to pour rain upon the earth till they are tired till they have spent all their store Mercerus and cannot yeeld a drop more Yet because to water the earth is the most proper and natural business of the cloud therefore Thirdly A learned Expositor conceives that the cloud is not weâ—â—ied by watering or raining upon the earth but that on the contrary the cloud is said to be wearied or troubled when while it is about that work it is scattered or dispersed by the Sun or Wind. Fourthly Others refer this wearying of the cloud to the command which it receives for the watering of very remote parts of the earth The Lord saith to this or that cloud â—emove far off go and water such a Countrey it may be a hundred yea many hundred miles off the place from whence the vapou s were exhaled and there disburden thy self or fall down in showres When the Lord sends the cloud a long journey we may say 't is even wearied as a man or beast is that hath gone a long journey Frumenâ—um desiderat nubes Vulg. Cibus arborum imber est Plin. l. 17. cap. 2. I shall not trouble the reader with that wide interpretation of the Latine translator rendring thus The cloud desires corn or the cloud labours for corn that is to make the earth fruitful and bring forth abundance of corn Some of the Ancients have taught that there is a kind of natural marriage between the earth and the clouds or between the clouds and the corn or any other fruits of the earth Rain is the food of the earth that is of Fruits and Plants to which the Prophet Hos 2.22 makes an elegant allusion But I pass this The second interpretation I judge most congruous to the scope of the text which saith clearly Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud Whence note Those creatures which have greatest stores to give may quickly have none left to give Here is a cloud and a thick cloud Elihu doth not speak of an ordinary but of a thick cloud yet upon the Lords command to give showres the cloud is quite spent and wearied Though men have the greatest affluence the largest stores and stockâ— of wealth or riches yea of gifts and graces yet they may be wearied and even drawn dry The thickest clouds that is they who have the greatest treasures of strength of wit of learning and knowledge are soon wearied exhausted and emptied unless they live in dependance upon God Only God himself can never be wearied by watering How much soever God giveth out to us he is not at all emptied but remaines everlastingly equally full And if God will speak to the meanest creature even to that which seemeth most empty it shall water others and not be wearied The thick clouds they who have much may be spent while he that hath but a little shall not be spent The Prophet said to the poor woman 1 King 17.14 The oyl in the cruse and the meal in the barrel shall not waste The woman might draw out of the oyl as long as she would and still there would be a supply of oyl nor would the barrel be weary in yeelding meal The Lord can make the creature unweaâ—ied and establish it to us for good A full cloud will soon drop away if the Lord forbear supplies and a few drops shall be as an eveâ—lasting spring where the Lord gives out supplies We may alâ—o allude to that 2 King 4.2 There was a poor widow and the creditors were ready to seize her two sons for bondmen and saith she I have nothing but a little pot of oyl and what will that do towards payment Well saith the Prophet Go borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours even empty vessels borrow not a few and thou shalt draw out of the pot and the pot of oyl shall not be wearied by giving oyl into the vessels God speaking to the pot of oyl it yeelded a continued supply the oyl never ceased till the woman had not a vessel to receive it If God saith to the least pittance of temporals which a man hath in this world hold out it shall not fail nor be weary 't is so likewise in spiri uals the Lord can make a little grace hold out the thinnest cloud shall not be wearied by watering Again By watering he wearieth the thick cloud that is God giveth out showres to water the earth abundantly Hence note God is very free and liberal He will empty the thick cloud upon the earth to make it fruitful He gives not only a few drops but abundance and this is most true in spiâ—ituals How doth the Lord showre down and empty even whole clouds of good things upon the soul as he hath promised so he once did and still doth sometimes and will moâ—e in the last times poure out the Spirit which is an
them it had been better for us not to have received them 364 Merciful men have special favours from God 521 Merit no merit in the best of men 649 Mighty men apt to despise others 173 Mightiness of man four fold 57. Mightiness of God in two things or of two sorts 160. The migâ—tineâ—s of God set forth in seven assertions 161 162. Five Infereâ—ces frâ—m the mightiness of Gâ—d 164 165. Miâ—acles God doth â—ot Mi acles to preserve or deliver the wicked 191 192. Mi aclâ—s as easie to God as his ordinary works 535. Modeâ—ation of Spiâ—it proceeâ—s from true greatness of Spirit â—86 Modesty a great vertue and the grace â—f all our graces 158 Motions of the creature most violent and in appearance contingent under the dominion of God 450 N Name of God what 73 Nature workâ— of God in nature ought to be searched 145 Necessity no man necessitated to choose a sinful evil 283 Negatives in Scripture often carry a strong affirmation 153 187 188. Nero his seeming clemency 631 Night God gives his people occasions of rejoycing in the night as well as in the day 71. God gives his people a rejoycing frame of spirit in the night 72. Night taken two wayes 312 North-wind makes fair weather 603. why promotion is said not to come out of the North. 605 O Obeying and hearing expressed by the same word 237 Obedience due to the call of God either by his word or works 237. Obedience to God profitable to man 247. No obedience where no service 250. Good men fail in obedience 251 Oppression of three sorts 56. Oppression a common sin 58. Oppression is a crying sin 59. Power is commonly abused to oppression 59. Yet when poor oppress that worst 59 60. It is best to have recourse to God when oppressed by men 67. Oppression cannot bring down the pride of man 88 Oppressors mind not God 62 Oppâ—essed persons will be crying and complaining 86. Some under Oppression do nothing but cry and complain 87 P Pardon of great sins what may encourage us to ask it 372. The greatness of pardoning mercy in Gâ—d 634 635 Passion not to be quieted but by Reason 382 Perfection two-fold 157 Perswasion what it is 280 Pleasure distinguished of in what pleasures to spend our dayes is a mercy 243. How that Promise of spending their dayes in pleasure is made good to the godly 245 246 Plenty and Scarcity are at the dispose of God 414. God useth natural means as the cause either of Plenty or Scarcity 414 Poor in Spirit how pleasing to God 195 196. Poor taken two wayes in Scripture 195. Poor shall have right done them by God 197. Objections answered 198 199 Poverty it self an affliction and the poor afflicted by others 194 196. Power of greaâ— use to do good and a great temptation to do bad things 60 Power of three sorts 335. They who have Power are apt to do wrong 347 Power of God in câ—mmanding and working how excellent 619 Prayers of the proud and impenitent are not heard 89 92. The Prayers of vain persons are vain things 93. What prayers are vain shewed in seven particulars 93 94. How much God values holy prayers shewed three wayes 66 Holy pâ—ayer not alwayes presently answered but never disregarded 96. A dreadful judgment not to have prayer regarded 97. Not to pray in time of affliction very sinful shewed in three things 267. Prayers of the wicked not esteemed by God 307 Praise God fearfull in praises 611 Presumptuous sin what 35 Presumptions of evil men described 106 Presumption to do or speak amiss not fearing God should know it 589 Pâ—ide oppression cannot bring down the proud heart of man 88. Pride a bad Mother of three bad children 169. Pride and high-mindedness the same 458 Promises some make them not minding to perform them 629. Four things ascribed to God in Scr pture which assure us he will perform his promises 630 Pâ—omotion comes usually in a secret way 605 Pronounes mine thine have a great emphasis 149 Prophaning the Name of God what 34 Prosperity what 242. Promises of outward prosperity most in the Old Testament 246. Outward prosperity given many Godly 288 Protection of God towards man two-fold 191 Providences when they seem to cross Promises and Prophesies yet trust 113 Providential care of God towards his people is perpetual 206. Some works of Providence very plain 357. The Pâ—ovidence of God reacheth to all places 453. The Government of the world is as much of God as the creatiâ—n of it 536. Heathens dark about Pâ—ovidence ascribed all to Fortune and second Causes 536 537. Comfort to the godly that all things are under the Pâ—ovidence of God 537 Q Question one question put more than twenty times to Jâ—b and why 535 Qâ—ietness of the Air much more of mens Hearts is of God 562. Christ can make the heart quiet in the midst of all outward uâ—quietness 563 R Rain fiâ—e things spoken of it 384 385. Rain comes fiâ—st from the earth 388. The causes of Rain 389. God can with-hold the Rain when he pleaseth 389. Four Inferences from it 90 39â— That the water falls from Heaven in drops of Râ—in is of God 393. God hath store of Rain in his treasury 397. Râ—in a comparison between that â—nd the Word of God 397 398. Râ—iâ— sâ—all and great 471. Great Rain of Gods strength what 471. In what quantity soever the Rain falls it is by the special appointment of God 475. For what purposes Rain is sent 519. Rain undeserved 't is of free mercy that we have Rain 520 Rain-bow the signification of it 542 543. The forme and cause of it 543. Why expressed in the Greek by a word that signifieth to speak or shew forth 544. Whether the Rain-bow were before the flâ—â—d 544 545. The fitness of the Rain bow to assure mercy shewed in seven particulars 545 546 Ransom what it is several sorts of it Nothing but the blood of Christ can ransom sinners nor will that deliver some sinners 304 Remember taken two wayes 349 Reward and punishment without them Religion would vanish 14 Riches God regardeth not men for their riches or any outward greatness 306 309 Right how God gives it the poor 195 Righteous man righteous three wayes 39. A two-fold notion of the righteous 21. The Righteous alwayes under Gods eye 202 203. Righteous highly esteemed and exalted by God 213 Righteousness essential to God 11 Righteousness of two sorts 8 9. The righteousness or righteous actings of men contribute nothing to God 41. Three grounds of it 42 43. How and whom righteousness doth profit 51 52. Cautions about it 53. Righteousness when and how ascribed to God 147 Rods of two sorts 514. S Scholars great not alwayes the wisest men 177 Scourge God can make any creature a scourge to man 412 Sealing in Scripture hath a threefold signification 476. Sealing up of the hand what it signifieth 478 September how expressed in the Hebrew and why 448 Servant what it