John Trapp on Job 36:27

Verſe 27. For he maketh ſmall the drops of water] Here Elihu beginneth to inſtance the greatneſſe of God in his works, and particularly in the Meteors; many of which Ariſtotle confeſſeth he underſtood not. And this I dare ſay, ſaith a learned Interpreter here, that there is not extent any Poem, either of the Greeks or Latines, which may be compared with this ſtately eloquence of Elihu in deſcribing thoſe natural effects which are cauſed in the air; and for the ſame cauſe are of the Philoſophers called Meteors, or aiëry impreſſions: as namely, clouds, rain hail, ſnow, thunder, lightning, and ſuch-like; whereof he here diſcourſeth very gravely, and learnedly: And firſt of rain, which he deſcribeth, 1. by the form or manner of producing it, verſ. 27, 28. 2. by the largeneſſe of the clouds, and their noiſe, verſ. 29. 3. by the ſuddain ſucceſſion of fair weather and foul, verſ. 30. and laſtly, by the different uſe thereof in the three laſt verſes of this Chapter, God maketh ſmall the drops of water; that is, he raineth by dividing the drops in the cloud, cauſing them to come down gut[illegible: 1 letter]atim, piece-meale; and not by whole ſpouts, or paile-fulls. Others read it, Subtrahit Deus, God draweth up drops of water; viz. out of the Sea, the rivers, and other moiſt places, whence thoſe vapours do aſcend, of which are generated thoſe drops of rain, Pſal. 147.8. He covereth the heaven with clouds, he prepareth rain for the earth, &c.

They powre down rain according to the vapours thereof] As the vapours are greater or leſſer, ſo is the rain. The rain aſcendeth in thin vapours, but deſcendeth oft in thick ſhowers: So do our poor Prayers come down in greateſt bleſſings; and we are ſure of as much mercy, as we bring faith to carry it away.