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

The Dew differs not much from the Rain; both are of the same nature, and they have the same Father, and he will be owned in the Dew as well as in the Rain. The Prophet Haggai reproving the returned Jews (Chap. 1.10.) for their neglect in not building the Lords House, represents the Lord thus speaking to them; Because of my house that is wast, and ye run every man to his own house; that is, you eagerly and violently (running is a violent exercise) pursue your private ends and interests, not minding nor promoting my honour and worship; Therefore the Heaven over you is stayed from Dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. The want of Dew makes many wants. If we want but the Dew of Heaven we shall quickly want the fruits of the Earth. We usually take notice of the want of Rain, but we seldom take notice of the want of Dew, or pray for the falling of it; nor do we give thanks for it (as for Rain) when we see it fallen, and sweetly filling the bosom of the earth. Yet the with-holding of Dew (though Dew be a less matter than Rain) is a greater Judgment than the with-holding of Rain; for 'tis a sign that the Judgment of drought is at the height, or in the perfection of it, when the Lord doth not only with hold the Rain which is the greater mercy, but the Dew too, which is the lesser. O how dry must the earth be when it hath not only no plentiful showers of Rain, but not so much as a drop of Dew! And therefore when the Prophet Elijah would show the extremity of the Famine which was coming upon Israel, he made that high protest (1 Kings 1.17.) As the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand, there shall not be Dew nor Rain these years, but according to my word. Not only shall ye have no Rain, but no Dew; and when the Heaven is stayed from giving Rain or Dew, the Earth must needs be stayed from yielding fruit or food. And so great is the Lords care in disposing the Dew of Heaven, that Solomon tells us (Prov. 3.20.) By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the Clouds drop down ⟨p. 224⟩Dew. As if he had said, The Dew doth not steal down upon the earth without Gods knowledge; not a drop of it distils upon the earth without his orders and privity. And when 'tis said, By his knowledge the Clouds drop down Dew, it hath this in it; God knows what moisture is meet for the earth, whether little or much, Dew or Rain;