The Gales of Grace, Tract · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. The logicall analyſis of the Text, and the opening of the first part of it.
Sect. 1.HAuing now done with the ſumme of the words, order requireth that wee ſhould anatomize the Text, and part it into ſeuerall members. In this compariſon two branches are occurrent; firſt, the compariſon or ſimilitude it ſelfe in theſe words, The Winde bloweth where it liſteth, and thou heareſt the ſound thereof, but canſt not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. Secondly, the application of the ſimilitude in the words following: So is eueryevery one that is borne of the Spirit. Each of theſe two members ſubdiuide and ſpread themſelues into 3. branches apeece; which, meeting together throughout the Text, doe conſtitute, and make three ſubſtantiall parts for me to handle. The firſt treats of the free liberty & vnreſiſtable efficacie of the working of the holy Ghoſt: the ſecond containes a diſcourſe of the ſenſe and feeling of that holy worke in the regenerate: the third comprehendeth the incomprehenſibleneſſe of the meaſure of that worke. The firſt layde downe thus, The Winde bloweth where it liſteth: So is eueryevery one that is borne of the Spirit. The ſecond thus, and thou heareſt the ſound thereof; ſo is eueryevery one that is borne of the Spirit. The third thus, but canſt not tell whence it commeth, and whither it goeth: So is eueryevery one that is borne of the Spirit: Still this clauſe (eueryevery one that is borne of the Spirit) being applied to euerie branch in the ſimilitude.
Sect. 2. Part. 1.The firſt of theſe muſt firſt be handled; The Winde bloweth where it liſteth: So is eueryevery one that is borne of the Spirit. The words expounded.Firſt to interpret the wordes. [The Winde] dAuguſt. as Chemnitius quoteth.Some here by Winde do vnderſtand the perſon of the holy Ghoſt, or the third perſon in the Trinitie; for which opinion (I confeſſe) there ſeemeth to be ſome colour in theeBeing rather tranſlated foreign then foreign. Greek Text; which I dare not abſolutely reiect, leſt I ſhould be thought to offer wrong to ſo worthy a Father as is the Author of it: yet in modeſtie let me ſay thus much. In aſmuch as the originall word is of ſome generall extent, being deriued of afforeign or foreign. word which ſignifieth, to breathe or blow, I can not ſee any reaſon why that tearme which in our Tranſlations is engliſhed wind, ſhould for the Greekes ſake, ſo properly ſignifie the third perſon in the Trinitie; eſpecially too, ſithence the epithet [holy] is heere wanting,foreign. which vſually we finde ioyned with the word Spirit, when it noteth out the perſon of the holy Ghoſt: wherefore with others of thegChryſoſt. Chimnit. Caluin. Piſc. Beza, &c. learned, I take to be meant the naturall winde, which many times maketh a dinne and noyſe in the aire. About which wind the curious brains of differing Philoſophers hauehave weaued many knots, and framed many intricate and needeleſſe queſtions: the looſing and diſcuſſing whereof, it is not my purpoſe to meddle withall; being neither materiall to the Text, nor profitable to the Reader: neither mind I to ſtuffe theſe Papers with the diuers deſcriptions which diuershAs Seneca, one: Nat. quaeſt. lib. 5. cap. 1 Ariſtot. an other: Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 5. Peter de la Primand. 2 third: Franc. Acad. part. 3 pag. 196. Writers giuegive of the winde. To ſhew what it is in one definition, is as much as the Text requireth.iWhat the winde is. The wind therefore is an exhalation, more drie then moiſt, bred of thoſe cold andkA vapor is moiſt of it ſelf, but drie by reaſon of the Sun. drie vapours of the earth, which the Sunne draweth vp into the middle region of the ayre: in which region this exhalation meeting with a cold cloude, is of hot made cold, and by the force of that cloude beaten downe into the lower part of the ayre: where (by reaſon of the ſubtile nature it hath in it ſelfe) it ſpreadeth it ſelfe laterally or broadwiſe, flowing ſometimes to one corner of the heauens, ſometimes to another; ſometime Eaſtward, ſometime Southward, &c. This wind, I ſay thus defined, is heere to be vnderſtoode. [Bloweth where it listeth:] this phraſe where it listeth, doth not betoken any ſuch will in the Winde, as there is in the ſoule of man; (for the wind being an in animall ſubſtance, and a creature without ſoule, how can there be any ſuch power of the ſoule in it, as the will is?) but it noteth out the free and vnreſiſtable agitation of the winde beating the aire, and other flexible bodies, ſometimes one way, ſometimes another, as the great Iehouah pleaſeth. [So is eueryevery one that is borne of the Spirit.] .i. ſo is it with eueryevery elect perſon, in regard of the regenerating work of the Spirit; that Spirit breathing ſomtimes in one, ſometimes in an other, as he pleaſeth, freely, and vnreſiſtably.