An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

But I shall not stay upon that. The main scope and purpose of the Lord in putting this question, being only this, To show, that as the light (take it either for the lightning, or for the light of the Sun) is in the hands of God; so also, that the wind, even the East-wind, is at his dispose too.

But I shall not stay upon that. The main scope and purpose of the Lord in putting this question, being onely this, To shew, that as the light (take it either for the lightning, or for the light of the Sun) is in the hands of God; so also, that the wind, even the East-wind, is at his dispose too.

Hence Note; Winds, the most vehement and violent winds, are under the power of God.

He who commands the light, commands the winds (Prov. 30.4.) He gathereth the winds in his fist, he comprehends them all in his hand. ''Tis a wonderful expression of the power of God, that he hath the loose winds as fast as a man hath that which he gripes in his fist, and 'tis at the opening of his hand that they pass forth. Whatever natural causes there are of the winds, we must look beyond them all, at the power of God, as the cause reigning over all other causes. Christ (John 3.) treating with ⟨p. 201⟩Nicodemus about that most spiritual Doctrine of Regeneration, or the New Birth, to show how free an agent the Spirit of God is in it, compares his workings to that of the Wind, of which he saith, (vers. 8.) The wind bloweth where it listeth; which yet we are not to understand, as if the winds did blow at random, or were carried out by their own power and impression: Christ speaks of the wind there, as if it had a will, or wilfulness, rather; but we are to understand it thus, The wind bloweth where it listeth, for any thing man can do or say to it; let man say what he will, let man do what he can, the wind blows where it listeth. The wind is not under the control or command of any man, no not of the mightiest Prince on Earth; yet it bloweth not absolutely where it self, but where God listeth. The power and skill of all the men in the World, cannot alter o control the wind. Some indeed have traded with Witches for winds, as if they had the command of them; yet know it is only the Lords choosing their delusions, or his giving them up to those delusions and wickednesses, which their hearts choose, if at any time any gain a breath of win, by trading with them. We should only look by faith, and trade with him by payer, for the managing and disposing of the winds; it is he that scattereth the East-wind over the Earth. Knowest thou how the East-winds are scattered over the Earth, or, by what way the Lord scattereth the East-wind over the Earth?