Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 9 · Part 7
Miniſters compared to Clouds.
Deut. 32.2. My Doctrine ſhall drop as the Rain, &c.
Iſa. 5.6. I alſo will command the Clouds, that they rain no more Rain upon it.
CLouds have divers Metaphorical Notations in the holy Scriptures:
1. For Calamities, or great Afflictions: How hath God covered the Daughters of Zion with a Cloud! Lam. 2.1.
2. Becauſe of the Number and Multitude of Clouds, (for in tempeſtuous Weather a great Plenty of thick Clouds appear) ſo an innumerous Company of Witneſſes are compared to Clouds, Heb. 12.1.
3. They are alſo uſed in Compariſon: Behold, he ſhall come as Clouds: that is, his Army will I make a vaſt Appearance, the Targum ſays, as a Cloud which comes up and covers the Earth. Ezek. 38.9.
4. For Vanity and Inconſtancy, or Emptineſs; hence falſe Teachers are compared to Clouds without Rain.
5. And upon divers accounts true Miniſters of the Goſpel may be compared to Clouds; for as falſe Teachers are like Clouds without Rain; ſo true Miniſters are as Clouds full, or filled with Rain, &c.
How fitly Chriſt's Miniſters may be compared to Clouds, will appear by what follows.
| Miniſters. | Parallel. |
| CLouds are fit Receptacles for the Water, they receive their Water, as it is drawn up out of the Fountain of the great Deep: For God hath made the Clouds as uſeful as ſo many Buckets, to draw up Water out of the Sea; and the Wind is made uſe of as an Hand, to carry theſe Buckets or Clouds whitherſoever the great Creator pleaſeth, to diſtill it down upon the Earth, that the Earth might be repleniſhed, and made fruitful by it. | SO Miniſters receive all their ſpiritual Rain out of the great Fountain of all Fulneſs: Of his Fulneſs have we all received, &c. and that by the Spirit; that ſo their Doctrine might drop as the Rain upon the tender Herbs,Deu…. 32.… and as Showers upon the Graſs. 'Tis according to the Gifts and Operations of the Spirit, be it more or leſs, that theſe ſpiritual Clouds are filled; and as God is pleaſed to diſtil and bleſs the Word, it becomes profitable, and makes this or that Man fruitful in Grace and Holineſs. What abundance of Fruit have the Saints brought forth under the dropping of theſe Clouds! |
| II. Clouds are prepared by the wiſe God, as fit Mediums to let Rain down, that ſo it might fall gradually, as the Earth is able to take it in, to the benefit of all things that grow thereon, and not to its detriment, as poſſibly it would, were it not that God made uſe of the Clouds. | II. Miniſters are appointed by the Lord as Inſtruments, to communicate of his Grace and Divine Goodneſs to the Children of Men. If he ſhould make uſe of other Mediums, it might be to our hurt; ſhould he ſpeak to us himſelf, we could not ('tis poſſible) be able to bear the hearing of his Words. The poor Iſraelites deſired Moſes to ſpeak to them, would not that God ſhould ſpeak to them any more, leſt they died. |
| III. Clouds let down their Water more freely at one Time than at another; now and then it falls down wonderfully. | III. So the ſpiritual Clouds ſometimes pour down, or rather out, the Divine Rain in a plentiful manner; at other times they ſeem much ſtraitned in their own Spirits. |
| IV. Clouds let down their Water at God's Command, and they obey his Voice. | IV. So Miniſters preach at God's Command; 'tis He that openeth their Mouths; 'tis as the Spirit gives them utterance. |
| V. 'Tis a great Judgment upon a People, when God commands or reſtrains the Clouds from raining upon the Earth, or upon this or that particular Nation, Field, or Vineyard. | V. So 'tis a ſevere and ſore Judgment upon a People or Congregation, when God ſuffers his Miniſters to preach no more unto them, or makes their Miniſtry of no advantage or profit to them. I will command the Clouds, Iſa. 5.6. that they rain no Rain upon it, &c. |
| VI. Clouds are of great profit to thoſe who have weak Eye-ſight, in that they are as a Vail between the bright ſhining of the Sun, and them; for the Light muſt be proportionable to the Sight, or elſe the Eyes are confounded. | VI. So the Miniſters of the Word of God are of infinite uſe and advantage to poor Mortals: For we have all but weak ſpiritual Sight, and cannot behold the Glory of God, nor take in Divine Myſteries, without theſe bleſſed Mediums God is pleaſed to make uſe of, in his gracious Condeſcenſion to us; and therefore God ſpeaks to us by Men like our ſelves, and opens heavenly Things by earthly Similitudes, &c. |
Inferences.
LEt us pray, that theſe ſpiritual Clouds may be full of Divine Rain.
2. It ſhews us the great Wiſdom and Condeſcenſion of God to Mankind, and what great Profit we receive by the Preachers of the Goſpel.
3. It ſhews the great Folly of all thoſe that go about to ſtop theſe Clouds from raining, when God hath given them a Command. Will they attempt to hinder the Light from ſhining, or the Clouds from raining, at their pleaſure? Even thus they attempt ſpiritually, when they ſtrive to hinder Chriſt's Miniſters from preaching the Word, or obſtruct the Showers of Goſpel-Grace from falling upon the Souls of Men.