Galatia, but forbad them to preach the word in Alia, Acts xvi, 6. "And when they effayed to go into Bithynia, the spirit fuf "fered them not," v. 7. But a man of Macedonia appears to Paul in a vision, and prayed him, faying, "Come over to Ma"cedonia and help us," v. 9. Thus you fee how the mystical, as well as the natural clouds are moved according to divine counfel; and though minifters are not now disposed to their refpective places, in fuch an extraordinary way, yet there is still a special hand of the fpirit guiding their motions, which is feen partly in qualifying them for fuch a people, and partly in drawing out their hearts to elect and call them, and inclining their hearts to accept the call.

3. There is a great deal of difference in the fhowers of rain that fall upon the earth. Sometimes you have an hafty fhower, which makes the ways float, and the ftreets run, but it is gone presently, the earth hath but little benefit by it; and fometimes you have a fweet, gentle, foaking rain, that moderately foaks to the root, and refreshes the earth abundantly. This is called the small rain, and the former, the great rain of his strength, Job xxxvii. 6. So it is in thefe fpiritual fhowers, the effects of fome fermons (like a fudden fpout of rain) are very tranfient, that touch the heart a little for the prefent, by way of convic tion or comfort, but it fleets away immediately, Jam. i. 23. At other times the gospel, like a fettled moderate rain, foaks to the root, to the very heart. So did that fweet shower which fell, Acts ii. 37. It fearched the root, it went to the heart; the influences of it are fometimes abiding, and do much longer remain in, and refresh the heart, than the rain doth the earth. There be effects left in fome hearts, by fome fermons and duties, that will never out of it as long as they live. "I will never "forget thy precepts, for by them thou haft quicknéd me," Pfal. cxix. 93.

4. The rain is most beneficial to the earth, when there come fweet, warm fun-blafts with it, or after it. This the fcripture calls " a clear fhining after rain," 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. by which the feminal virtue of the earth is drawn forth, and then the herbs, flowers, and corn fprout abundantly. So it is with gofpelfhowers, when the fun of righteoufnefs opens upon poor fouts under the word, darting down the beams of grace and love upon them, whilst they are attending on it, (juft as you fometimes see a sweet shower fall while the fun shines out). O how comfortable is this! and effectual to melt the heart! And as the warm rain is most refreshing, fo when the word comes warmly,

from the melting affections of the preacher, who imparts not only the gospel, but his own foul with it, Thef. ii. 8. this doth abundantly more good than that which drops coldly from the lips of the unaffected fpeaker.

5. Showers of rain do exceedingly refresh the earth, as a man is refreshed by a draught of water, when his fpirits are even fpent. O how welcome is a fhower to the thirsty ground! Hence the little hills are faid to rejoice on every fide, yea tọ fhout for joy, and fing when a fhower comes, Pial Ixv. 12, 13. But never were thowers of rain fo fweetly refreshing to the thirsty earth, as gofpel-fhowers are to gracious hearts, Col. iv. 8. they comfort their very hearts. What joy was there in Samaria, when the gofpel came to that place? Acts viii. 8. It revives the foul, it is mel in ore, melos in aure, jubilum in corde, honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, and a very jubilee in the heart.

6. Rain is neceffary at feed-time, to make ready the earth to receive the feed, Pial. lxv. 9, 10. "Thou vifiteft the earth, and

watereft it; thou greatly iaricheft it with the river of God, "which is full of water; thou preparest them corn, when thou "haft fo provided for it; thou watereft the ridges thereof a"bundantly, thou fettleft the furrows thereof, thou makeft it "soft with showers, thou blessest the springing thereof." And this the fcripture calls the former rain. And as this is neceffary about feed-time, fo the latter rain is as needful about earingtime, to disclose the ear, and to bring it to perfection; both these are great bleffings to the earth, and conduce to a plentiful harvest, Joel ii, 23, 24. "Be glad then ye children of Sion, "and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he hath given you "the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come "down for you the rain, the former and the latter rain in the "first month, and the floors fhall be full of wheat, and the "fats fhall overflow with wine and oil." Thus the gospel hath a double use and benefit alfo. It is neceffary as the former rain at feed-time, it caufes the first spring of grace in the heart, Pfal. xix. 7. And there could be (in an ordinary way) no fpring of grace without it, Prov. xxix. 18, And as this former rain is neceffary to cause the first spring of grace, fo also it hath the ufe of the latter rain to ripen thofe precious fruits of the fpirit in the fouls of believers, Eph. iv. 11, 12, 13. "He gave fome "apoftles, and fome prophets, and fome evangelifts, and fome "paftors and teachers, for the perfecting of the faints, for "the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of "Chrift, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the

"knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, unto the "measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift." Were all the elect converted unto God, yet ftill there would be a neceffity of a golpel-ministry.

7. After a great glut of rain, usually there comes a drought; it is a common country proverb, Wet and dry, pay one another. And truly when a people are glutted with a fulness of gospelmercies, it is ufual with God to shut up and restrain the gospelclouds, that, for a time at least, there be no dews upon them,' and thereby teach them to prize their defpiled (becaule common) mercies at an higher rate. For as a good man once faid, mercies are best known by the back, and most prized when most wanted. "In thofe days the word of the Lord was precious, there was "no open vifion," 1 Sam. iii. 1. It is with fpiritual as with temporal food, flighted when plenteous, but if a famine once come, then every bit of bread is precious. Jerufalem remembered in the days of her afflictions, and of her mifery, all her pleafant things that she had in the days of old, Lam. i. 7. It is both a finful and dangerous thing to wantonize with gofpelmercies, and despise the plainest (if faithful) minifters of the gofpel. The time may come when you may be glad of the plaineft fermon, from the mouth of the meanest ambassador of Christ.

8. To conclude, The prayers of faints are the keys that open and shut the natural clouds, and cause them either to give out, or with-hold their influences, Jam v. 17, 18. "Elias was a man fubject to like paffions, as we are, and he prayed earnestly "that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the "fpace of three years and fix months; and he prayed again, " and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her "fruit." God hath fubjected the works of his hands to the prayers of his faints, Ifa. xlv. 11.

Prayer is alfo the golden key which opens thefe myftical gofpel-clouds, and diffolves them into fweet gracious showers. God will have the whole work of the miniftry carried on by the prayers of his people; they first obtain their ministers by prayer, Luke x. 2. "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, to fend forth la"bourers into the vineyard." It is by the help of prayer that. they are carried on, and enabled to exercife their ministry: They may tell their people as a great general once told his foldiers, That he flew upon their wings." Pray for me, (faith "the great apostle) that utterance may be given me, that I may "open my mouth boldly, to make known the mysteries of the "golpel," Eph. vi, 19. Yea, by the faints prayers it is, that

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minifters obtain the fuccefs and fruits of their labours, 2 Theff. iii. 1. "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the "Lord may have free courfe, and be glorified even as it is with "you." And thus you have the metaphor opened. Now, O! that these truths might come down in fweet fhowers upon the hearts both of minifters and people, in the following reflections. REFLECTIONS.

Three reflections for golpel minifters.

1. Am I then a cloud? And is my doctrine as rain to water the Lord's inheritance? And yet do I think it much to be toffed up and down by the furious winds and ftorms of perfecution? Do not I fee the clouds above me in continual mo. tions and agitations? And fhall I dream of a fixed, fettled ftate? No; false teachers, who are clouds without rain, are more likely to enjoy that than I. Which of all the prophets have not been toffed and hurried worse than I? Acts vii. 52. He that will not let men alone to be quiet in their lufts, muft expect but little quiet from men in this life. But it is enough, Lord, that a reft remaineth for thy fervant; let me be fo wife to secure a reft to come, and not fo vain to expect it on earth.”

2. And, O that I might study those instructing clouds, from which, as from the bottles of heaven, God pours down refreshing fhowers to quench and fatisfy the thirsty earth! In this may I resemble them, and come amongst the people of the Lord, "in "the fulness of the bleffing of the gospel of Chrift," Rom. xv. 29. O let not thofe thirsty fouls that wait for me as for the rain, Job xxix. 23. "return like the troops of Tema, afhamed, with their "heads covered," Job vi. 19. O that my lips might refresh many! Let me never be like thofe empty clouds, which deceive the hopes of thirty fouls; but let my doctrine defcend as the rain, and diftil as the dew, and let that plot of thine inheritance which thou haft affigned to me, be as a field which the Lord hath bleffed.

3. Once more, lift up thine eyes to the clouds, and behold, to how great an height the fun hath mounted them, for by reason of their fublimity it is, that they are called the clouds of heaven, Matth. xxiv. 30. Lord, let me be a cloud of heaven too: Let my heart and converfation be both there! Who is more advantaged for an heavenly life than I? heavenly truths are the fubjects of my daily ftudy, and fhall earthly things be the objects of my daily delights and loves? God forbid that ever my earthly converfation fhould contradict and fhame my heavenly calling and profeffion, Shine forth thou glorious fun of righ

teousness, and my heart fhall quickly be attracted and mounted above these visible clouds, yea, and above the afpectable hea

vens.

Three reflec tions for private Chriftie ans.

1. Is the gospel rain, and are its minifters clouds? Wo is me then, that my habitation is upon the mountains of Gilboa, where there are no dews! Ah fad lot, that I should be like Gideon's dry fleece, whilft the ground round about me is wet with the dew of heaven; O thou that commandeft the clouds above, and openest the windows of heaven, remember, and refresh this parched wilderness, wherein I live, with showers of grace, that we may not be as the heath in the defart, which Teeth not when good cometh, nor inhabit the parched places of the wilderness.

For those that want a gospelminiftry.

2. O Lord, thou haft caufed the heavens above For those that me to be black with clouds, thou openest the celeftial cafements from above, and daily fendeft enjoy a gospelminiftry. down fhowers of gofpel-bleffings: O that I might be as the parched earth under them! Not for barrennefs, but for thirstinefs. Let me fay, "My foul longeth, yea, even faint"eth for the courts of the Lord :" that I might there fee the beauty of the Lord. Doth the fpungy earth fo greedily fuck up the showers, and open as many mouths as there are clefts in it, to receive what the clouds difpenfe? And fhall thofe precious foul-enriching fhowers fleet away unprofitably from me? If so, then,

table hearers.

3. What an account have I to make for all For unprofi thofe gospel-bleffings that I have enjoyed; for all thofe gofpel-dews and fhowers wherewith I have been watered! Should I be found fruitlefs at last, it will fare better with the barren and uncultivated wilderness than with me; more tolerable for Indians and Barbarians that never heard the gofpel, than for me that have been so affiduously and plenteously watered by it. Lord! What a difference wilt thou put in the great day, betwixt fimple and pertinacious barrennefs? Surely, if my root be not rottennefs, fuch heavenly waterings and influences as these will make it sprout forth into fruits of obedience.

暴 The POE M.

HE vegetables here below depend

Upon those treasures which the heavens do spend

Most bounteously upon them; to preferve

Their being and their beauty. This may ferve