An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Secondly, Ice and Frost continue not, they are but for a season, a gnaw will come. The afflicted state of a godly man is unpleasing, yet not lasting, to be sure not everlasting. Though some F•o•ts hold longer than others, yet none hold always, Summer will come; and usually where winter is fiercest, Summer,¹ for a recompense, is pleasantest. O• Modern Geographer having described the sharpness of Winter in Muscovia, concludes thus; Such is their Winter, neither is their Summer less miraculous. For the huge Seas of Ice which in a manner covered the whole surface of the Country, are at first approach of the Sun suddenly d solved, the waters quickly dried up, and the Earth dressed in her Holy-day Apparel, such a mature growth of fruits, such flourishing of he bs, such chirping •f birds, a• if it were a perpetual spring. And that the Church of God after a sad and cold winter of affl ction is relieved by a sweet and comfortable manner of prosperity, is set forth in the highest st•ains and most beautiful flowers of divine Rhetoric by Christ in that invitation to his Spouse (Cant. 2.10, 11, 12, 13.) My beloved spake a•d said unto me, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away: f r l•, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone (that is, thy affl cti ns are ended, thy clouds of sorrow, and thy tears a•• over-blown and wiped away, and now behold a succession of be••e• things, even of whatsoever may call out thy joys, and renew thy comforts; f•) the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing •f birds is c•me; the voice of the turtle is heard in our land: the fig-tree putteth forth her tender figs, and the Vines with the tender grape, give a good smell. Here's a new face of things indeed; what can be