My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
Ver. 2. My doctrine.] Heb., My taking or winning doctrine: according to that in Proverbs 11:30. "He that winneth" (Heb., taketh) "souls" - as fowlers do birds - "is wise."
Shall drop as the rain.] Drop; not dash: and as the rain, not as the storm, or as the spout, as they call it at sea. Evangelizatum, non maledictum missus es, said Oecolampadins to Farellus, an excellent, but a too earnest preacher. And such a one, say some, was Mr Perkins in his younger time, able almost to make his hearers' hearts fall down, and their hairs to stand upright. The word damn he would pronounce with such an emphasis, as left a doleful echo in his auditors' ears a good while after. True it is, that preachers should take the same liberty to cry down sins that men take to commit them. Peccata tanta severitate arguebat, saith one of Chrysostom, acsi ipse etiam per iniuriam laesus esset: but yet moderation must be used, and instruction drop meal distilled, that it may soak and sink, and so soften the heart that all grace may abound, &c. Such sweet droppers were Mr Bradford, Mr Dod, Dr Sibbs,
Oυ και απο γλωττης μελιτος γλυκιων ρεεν αυδη .