7 For the Showers of rain which come down out of the Clouds, orderly,moderately,and gratually,as ifthey were conveyed in Pipes or Ch:nnels; which, without the care of God's Providence, would fall contuſedly, and altogether ; and, inſtead of refreſhing, would over-whelm the Earth. s 7. For that Lighroing nikbreating out of che Cloud with violence. cauſeth Thunder. Or,for Lightning and Thunder, Who opened a paflage for them out of the Cloud, in Which rhey were impriſoned ? And theſe are here joyned with the Rain,becauſe they are commonly accompanied with great Showers of Rain ; which 1s here noted as a wonderful work of God,that Fire and Warer ſhould come out of the ſame Cloud ?
26 Tocauſe it to rain # on the earth 2ybere no man 25 ; onthe wilderneſs wherein there is no man « !
# Thar the Clouds being broken by Lightning and Thunder might pour down Rain. #« Towit, to water thoſe parts by art and induſtry,as is uſualin cultivated and inhabited places. Which makes this work of DivineProvidence more neceſſary and more temarkable In providing for the relief of the wild Beaſts and Plants and other fruits on theſe forſaken Lands, which otherwiſe would periſh with
ought.
Uilc197. 27 * To fatisfie « the deſolate and waſte ground, and A to cauſe the bud of the tender herb to ſpring forth x.
_ u ByRaining not ſparingly,but liberally and abundantly upon it. & There being many excellent and uſeful Herbs found in Deſart Places, which otherwiſe would be utterly negle&ed and deſpiſed:
this Word, thar conjugation being often ufed reciprocally, as is
28 Hath the rain afather y ? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew ? |
y To wit, beſides me, Is there any Man vpon Earth that can be- get or produce Rain at hisplezſure ? No, this ismy peculiar work. And therefore ſeing thou knoweſt and canſt do rot!:ing as to rhe government of theſe ordinary effefts of Nature, hov great prefump- tions it to arrogate to thy ſelf the knowl:dge and management of the ſecret and myſterious affairs of my Providence in the difpolal of men.
29 Out of whoſe womb came the ice 2 and the hoary froſt of heaven who hath gendred itz >» | 2 What man either can produce them, or doth fully underſtand where or how they are engendred ? For Philoſophers jpeak of ricſe things only by gueſs, and the reaſons which ſeme afſ:gn for them are conſured by others,and ſo they will confute ene another to the end of the World, and prove nothing folidly, but rheir own igno- rance and the reatonableneſs of theſe Queſtions. |
30 The waters are hid as ith a ſtone a, and the
face of the deepb Þ is frozene
ai. e. With Ice as hard as a Stone. 6 7, e. The great Sea, which is ofc called the deep, as Gent 7; 11: Pſal:107: 24: Iſa: 51: 10: & 63: 13: 2 Cor: 11: 25: which in ſome parts is frozer, which 1s a won- derful work of God.
21 Canſt thou bind c the ſweet influences « of || +
+ Heb.
taken.
Pleiades e, or looſe the bands fof f Orion g? |! Or,theſzs | c i.e. Reſtrain or hinder them. Canſt rhou bind or ſhut up the V7 S*ars. Earth when they open it > 4 Or, the delights, becauſe this Conſtel- T Heb: C/=
lation by its benign and opening Influences brings in the Spring, ##.
the Herbs and Flowers, and other delights of the Earth. e Called, tHeb:Cef,
alſo the Seven Stars Ofthis, and the following Conſtellation, ſee Jeb 9: 9, f By which it binds up the Air and Earth, by bringing ſtorms of Rain or Hai), or Froſt and Snow ; and withal binds or fteals the hands of Workmen, as is noted Job 37: 7« g This is another Conſtellation which riſeth in November, and brings in Winter. So the Senſ: of the Verſe is, Thou canſt nor blind the Earth when the one looſeth or openeth it, nor looſe or open ir, when the other binds or ſhutteth itup.
32 Canſt thou bring forth þ || Mazzaroth # in his ſea> [Or; che 4 ſon, orcanft thou | guide Arcturus & with his{ons [2 #welveSigns | h To wit, into view. Canſt thou make him toariſe and appear TH<b:guide
inthy Hemiſphere? # By which he deſigns cicher r all the Con. 594: ſtellations, and eſpecially the Twelve Signs of the Zodizck: ox, ras ther, 2. ſome particular Conſtellation, as all the reſt here mention- ed are underſtood, But whether this be that which is called the Chamters of the South, Chap. 9: 7. Or, the Dog-Star, or ſomeother;, viſible in 7ob's Countrey, but not in ours, we may be ſafely and contented]y ignorant, feing even the Hebrew Dottors are nor agie- ed therein» k A Northern Conſtellation, of which ſee cn Job 9 9: I To wit, the leſſer Stars, which belong to it, and are placed ruund about it ; and attend upon it, as Children upon their Parents.
23 Knoweſt thou * the ordinances of heaven » ?
canſtchou ſet thedominion thereof in the earth o . *Jer:3i:35-
mn Either 1. ſimply, and by ſpeculation, doſt thou underſtand
; them, Or, 2. pra&tically, or operatively, ſo as to eſtabliſh or rule , them,as the next Clauſe implies. » the laws which are firmly eſta- | bliſhed concerning their order, motion, or reſt, and their power-