Now the South wind bloweth, and then 'tis warm, anon the N••th wind blows, and then 'tis cold. God hath his special store-houses for heat and cold, he brings cold out of his North n store-house, and not only heat but whirlwinds out of his store-house in the South. Cold is disposed of by God as heat is, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the hurt of the creature. Cold is both needful and hurtful; cold is needful to the body of man, and cold is needful to the body of the earth; therefore God hath that in his treasure to se•ve the uses of man with. Changes from heat to cold, set forth, First, Gods power; Secondly, His care: If the air were kept always at one rate, or in the same temper, neither windy nor stormy, neither very hot nor very old, we possibly would like it better, but it would be worse for us. Changes in •he air are so useful, that nature could no •be well preserved without them; we would have all things alike, we would have it always warm weather, always fair, but God seeth 'tis best for us, there should be changes in natural things for our natural good. It is also best for our spiritual good to have providential changes. God seeth it needful to leave us sometimes under clouds and da•kness, to bring cold as well as heat out of his treasures, to send us chilling times as well as springing times; cold is as good for our inner man as heat, storms as calms, foul weather as fair. Now for a season (saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 1.6.) if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. The coldness of the air kills the weeds in our grounds,1 so doth the cold of affliction and tribulation the weeds of corruption in our souls. Seasonable cold makes trees and plants more fruitful in their seasons: The cold nipping frosts of affliction, dispose our souls (through the blessing of God▪) to a gracious fruitfulness in every good word ⟨p. 494⟩[…] ⟨p. 495⟩[…] ⟨p. 496⟩and work. We would always have it spring and Sun-shine, peace and safety, but God knows it must be otherwise; perpetual shining and fair seasons are reserved for Heaven. While we are on Earth the cold of adversity is as advantageous to our spiritual condition, as the coldness of the air is to ou• natural. Out of the South cometh the whirlwind, and cold out of the North.
Now the South wind bloweth, and then 'tis warme, anon the N••th wind blows, and then 'tis cold. God hath his special store-houses for heat and cold, he brings cold out of his Northe n store-house, and not only heat but whirlwinds out of his store-house in the South. Cold is disposed of by God as heat is, somtimes for the good, somtimes for the hurt of the creature. Cold is both needfull and hurtfull; cold is needfull to the body of man, and cold is needfull to the body of the earth; therefore God hath that in his t•easure to se•ve the uses of man with. Changes from heat to cold, set forth, First, Gods power; Secondly, His care: If the air were kept alwayes at one rate, or in the same temper, neither windy nor sto•my, neither very hot nor very old, we possibly would like it better, but it would be worse for us. Changes in •he air are so usefull, that nature could no •be well preserved without them; we would have all things alike, we would have it alwayes warme weather, alwayes faire, but God seeth 'tis best for us, there should be changes in natural things for our natural good. It is also best for our spiritual good to have providential changes. God seeth it needfull to leave us somtimes under clouds and da•kness, to bring cold as well as heat out of his treasures, to send us chilling times as well as springing times; cold is as good for our inner man as heat, stormes as calmes, foule weather as faire. Now for a season (saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 1.6.) if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. The coldness of the air kills the weeds in our grounds,1 so doth the cold of affliction and tribulation the weeds of corruption in our souls. Seasonable cold makes trees and plants more fruitfull in their seasons: The cold nipping frosts of affliction, dispose our souls (through the blessing of God▪) to a gracious fruitfulness in every good word ⟨p. 494⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 495⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 496⟩
- 1Frigora tempestiva arborum et plantarum conferunt faecunditati. Garc: Meteor:
