zo8 Book. II I. . Lcoking tJ.JIIto 1efus. Chap. z. Sect, 2 - ---- ----· - - ----------- might be pained, for twenty, thirty, fourty, fitty yeares; that fo much of rhy flefb fbculd be cut off every day; that fuch and fuch a bone fbould-be broken, fucb, and fuch a day; and that by art the flefb fbould be reftored, and the bone cured againe. that for fo many years as is faid,thou mighteft be kept every day / dying, and yet never die; that all this while thou mufi have no ileep, nor cafe, no~ food, nor doathing convenient for thee . that whips of iron, lafbes and fcourges of Scorpions, tint racks: wheeles, caldrons full of melted lead fbould be the prepared inftruments of thy contintJal, horrible, terrible torments; in this cafe fuppole a might}• Prince by an ad of free and fpecial grace fbould deliver thee from this pain and torture, and not onely fo, but fborild give tllee a life in perfed health , fhould put thee into a Paradife of pleafures , where all the honour , acclamation5 love, and fervice of a world of men and Angels fbould await thee: and where thou fbouldeft be .elevated to the top ofall imaginable happinelfe, above Solomon in his higheft royalty, or Adam in his firft innocency ; were not this a mercy? wouldft thou not think it the higheft aCl: ofgrace and Jove , that any creature could extend to his fellow-creature ? and yet '0 my foule , all this is nothing but a {hadow ofgrace in comparifon of the love and rich grace ,ofGod in Chrift in the juftification of a linner. If thou hall: a righttQ this promife , I will forgive thy iniquity, and I will rrmember th] ji'line no more. Thou art delivered from eternal death, and thou art entitled to an eternal Kingdome ; 0 know thy blelfednelle aright! confider how infinitely thou art engaged to God , and Chrift , and mercy , and free-grace ! this promife .founds forth nothing but grace and bleffing; grace from God, and bleffing on us; it is grace, becaufe nothing but grace and mercycanforgive: It is grace, becauie God , ifhewill, hath power in his hand to revenge., he doth not paffe by finne as men· do offences, when they diilemble forg'tveneffe; they may forgive becaufc they have not power to avenge; it isotherwife with Deuq:t.J~. God to me belongs vengeance, and recompence, faith Cjod; he is Exod,36.4, able ;o defiroy ,and yet hechooferh to forgive; thi5 is his Name, ftrong and gracious. · 0 my foule thou art apt to complaine, what? will the Lord forgive my (innes ? what .reaf9n hath Goa to look on me, to pardon me , to plucftmeas a firebrand, out of the fire of hell i' wh7 fhould · · - qod
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