470 Verf. 4, an Expo(ition upon the Book of J o B. Chap. 37, obscuring, as well as hurting, that which is the natural beauty and ornament of it ; Thus honour is a precious robe,yet no way fitting the back of a foolifh or undeferving perfon. Snow is very impro- per and unnatural in Summer, becaufe the coldnefs of it hinders the ripening of the corn,and other fruits of the earth : And there- fore when Solomon faith (Chap, a 5. Y 3.) As the cold offnow in the time of Summer, fo is a faithful mefenger to hint that fendeth him. His meaning is nor,, that the falling of fnow is either comfortable or feafonable in the time of Summer, but that fnow gathered in Winter,and referved (as the cuflome is in hot countries) till Sum- mer,being put into drink doth exceedingly cool it,and fo refreftz- eth thofe who are ready to faint with heat. But not to go further from theText in hand ; we fee that Snow and Rain have the fame original, both being formed out of va- pours. As in mans body (who is a littleworld) from the Stomack there rife up vapours to the Head, which by the coldnefs of the brain are changed into, and fent back again in Rheutnes and Ca- tarrs : So vapours drawn up from the Earth into the Air, are tent back inSnow and Rain. Solomon defcribing the infirmities of old age, alludes to this, while he warnes the young man, that thus the Clouds will return after the Rain (Eccl, t 2. 2.) which may be underflood eithermore generally of that foccefiïon of troubles to Which old age is fubjet,or more particularly of Rheum andFlegm wherewith old age is molefied; thedefluxionof theRheum being as the Rain, and the gatheringof new matter, which continually diflilleth from the Head upon the Lungs, being as the returning of the Clouds after the Rain. He faith to the Snow Be thou en the earth. The place where Snow is generated is in the Mr, from thence it receives a command co diCpatch it felf to the Earrh,and there to abide ; He faith to the Snow, be thou on the Earth, that is, cover the face of the earth, be thou as a mantle upon the earth, or as a white theet fpread over the whole face of ir, until I call or take and ditfolve thee into water. The fame commandwhich is here thee off exprefl concerning the Snow, is alfo Pent forth to the Rain ; lie faith to the Sao; be there ou the earth, I.ik,etvi fe
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