The Verb of this Substantive is used (Joel 3.18.) In those days it shall come to pass, that the mountains shall drop down new wine; by which we are to understand, the plentiful effusion of the Spirit promised in the latter days. David describing the Lords glorious march through the wilderness, saith (Psal. 68.8, 9.) The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of the Lord; thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary. Which Scripture principally intends the spiritual rain, which drops down upon believers, and refresheth their wearied souls: And therefore by a Metaphor, this phrase, to drop, signifies, to prophesy or preach the word of God; because that, like rain, falls silently,1 and as it were in drops upon the hearers, it falls in at the ear, and soaks down to the heart, it soaks quite through, as Moses spake (Deut. 32.2.) My doctrine shall drop as the rain, and my speech shall distil as the dew. And as the word is used in Prophesies of mercy and instruction, so of judgment and desolation. Thus the Lord charged his Prophet (Ezek. 20.46.) Son of man, set thy face towards the south, and drop thy words towards the south, and prophe••e against the forest of the south field. Again (Ezek. 21.2.) Son of man, set thy face towards Jerusalem, and drop thy words towards the hol• place, and prophesy against the land of Israel. Once more (Amos 7.16.) Drop no• thy word against the house of Isaac. So tha•, I say, this dropping is used frequently, as in a natural, so in a spiritual sense. He maketh small the drops ⟨p. 388⟩Of water.
The Verb of this Substantive is used (Joel 3.18.) In those dayes it shall come to pass, that the mountaines shall drop down new wine; by which we are to understand, the plentiful effusion of the Spi•it promised in the latter dayes. David describing the Lords glorious march thorow the wilderness, saith (Psal. 68.8, 9.) The earth sh•ok, the heavens also dropped at the presence of the Lord; thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary. Which Scripture principally intends the spiri•ual rain, which drops down upon believers, and refresheth their wearied souls: And therefore by a Metaphor, this phrase, to drop, signifies, to prophesie or preach the word of God; because that, like rain, falls silently,1 and as it were in drops upon the hearers, it falls in at the ear, and soaks down to the heart, it soaks quite thorow, as Moses spake (Deut. 32.2.) My d•ctrine shall drop as the rain, and my speech shall destil as the dew. And as the word is used in Prophesies of mercy and instruction, so of judgment and desolation. Thus the Lord charged his Prophet (Ezek. 20.46.) Son of man, set thy face towards the south, and drop thy words towards the south, and prophe••e against the forest of the south field. Again (Ezek. 21.2.) Son of man, set thy face towards Jerusalem, and d•op thy words towards the hol• place, and prophesie aga•nst the land of Israel. Once more (Amos 7.16.) Drop no• thy word against the house of Isaac. So tha•, I say, this dropping is us•d frequently, as in a natural, so in a spiritual sence. He maketh small the drops ⟨p. 388⟩
- 1—S•binde Praeceptuci auri•ulis hoc instillare memento. Horat. Lib. 1. lip. 8.
