Thirdly, The spirit of God gives us another gracious use of, and meditation upon the Clouds; that as often as we see thick and black Clouds, which threaten a grievous storm, scattered, and the air cleared, this should put us in mind of the abundant grace ⟨p. 405⟩of God pardoning our sin (Isa. 44.22.) I have blotted, as a thick Cloud, thy transgression, and as a Cloud thy sins. False and faithless Ministers are called Clouds without water (Jude v. 12.) And the faithful Ministers of the Gospel, flee as a Cloud to water Souls, as the converted Gentiles are said, to flee as doves to the windows (Isa. 60.8.) There are not only natural but spiritual uses and improvements to be made of the Clouds, as often as we behold them; and the Scripture in many places, leads and points us to such meditations. It is said of Luther, that once beholding a great Cloud, that promised, or had a great appearance of rain, in a time of drought, blown away and dispelled, without yielding one drop of rain to refresh the earth; he turned to some of his friends, and said, Such are the Promises of the world. Men, said he,1 make great and fair promises, pretending much good, and good-will to those to whom they are made, which yet vanish and come to nothing; and concluding his observation upon the deceitful appearance of the Cloud, added the words of Solomon (Prov. 25.14.) Who so boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds without rain. Such especially are all false teachers, they, if any, boast themselves of a false gift, that is, they either pretend to a gift which they have not, or they pretend their gift is of Christ, when it is not; these are like Clouds without rain, or (as the text in the Epistle of Jude, even now mentioned) calls them, they are Clouds without water, carried about of winds, that is, which way so ever the wind of outward respects and advantages bloweth, they are carried.
Thirdly, The spirit of God gives us another gracious use of, and meditation upon the Clouds; that as often as we see thick and black Clouds, which threaten a grievous sto•m, scattered, and the air cleared, this should put us in mind of the abundant grace ⟨p. 405⟩of God pardoning our sin (Isa. 44.22.) I have blotted, as a thick Cloud, thy transgression, and as a Cloud thy sins. False and faithless Ministers are called Clouds without water (Jude v. 12.) And the faithful Ministers of the Gospel, flee as a Cloud to water Souls, as the converted Gentiles are said, to flee as doves to the windows (Isa. 60.8.) There are not only natural but spiritual uses and improvements to be made of the Clouds, as often as we behold them; and the Scripture in many places, leads and points us to such meditations. It is said of Luther, that once beholding a great Cloud, that promised, or had a great appearance of rain, in a time of drought, blown away and dispelled, without yeelding one drop of rain to refresh the earth; he turned to some of his friends, and said, Such are the Promises of the world. Men, said he,1 make great and fair promises, pretending much good, and good-will to those to whom they are made, which yet vanish and come to nothing; and concluding his observation upon the deceitful appearance of the Cloud, added the words of Solomon (Prov. 25.14.) Who so boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds without rain. Such especially are all false teachers, they, if any, boast themselves of a false gift, that is, they either pretend to a gift which they have not, or they pretend their gift is of Christ, when it is not; these are like Clouds without rain, or (as the text in the Epistle of Jude, even now mentioned) calls them, they are Clouds without water, carried about of winds, that is, which way so ever the wind of outward respects and advantages bloweth, they are carried.
- 1Tales sunt promissiones mundi.
