An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Take two or three inferences from it.

First, If the rain or drops of water come not in their season, let us acknowledge the hand of God. It is God that hath locked up the clouds when-ever they are locked up; God hath forbidden the clouds to let down their rain when-ever they with-hold it. Men and Devils can no more stop the rain than make it.

First, If the rain or drops of water come not in their season, let us acknowledge the hand of God. It is God that hath lockt up the clouds when-ever they are lockt up; God hath forbidden the clouds to let down their rain when-ever they with-hold it. Men and Devils can no more stop the rain than make it.

Secondly, When we want rain, let us go to God for it. 'Tis the prerogative of God alone to help us in that strait; and therefore the holy prophet sends a challenge to all other powers, or declares them disabled for this help (Jer. 14.22.) Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain, or can the heavens give showers? neither the one nor the other can. The heavens cannot dispose of a drop, though they possess a sea of water. God must hear the heaven, before the heavens can hear the earth, that is, answer the necessities of the earth. And as the heavens cannot give man rain, so neither can the gods of mans making and placing there, such are all the vanities or vain Idols of the Gentiles. The prophet having showed us that these cannot, showeth us who can give rain in the next words, Art not thou he, O Lord, our God (surely thou art he) therefore we will wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things. Solomon, at the dedication of the Temple, puts this as one special case wherein they were to apply to God by prayer (