Things for unmerci full men to c n,Eder of. 361 'Vs gone, 'but What goes into their own bellies, and is put 'upon their own backs that's not loft, but whatfoever they give in a way of mercy to others,they look upon is as call away ; this . ..is an argtment of a carnal! heart, that knoweth not the wày of God, didit thou underhand what is laid in Scripture, thou Wouldit account that eftate of thine which thou given our of a merciful! heart for the reliefe of others, the belt part of thy e- ,flate : And fo others when they are to dye,rhen they think that they will give fomthing to the podre,- or to o_hers, but in the meane time while they live, all's for themfelves, they can- not truft God for any thing, and as for luch promifes as thefe are, or others in Scripture, they are but as dry things unto them ; I (hall fpeak to thefe, and tech as have cruel! and hard hearts towards others and are altogether feltìih. Firft, Certainly thou knowell not God, talk what thou wilt ofReligion, if thou haft an unmerciful! heart towards others, thouart the man or woman that knowea not God : I'le give you this Scripture for it,in Hof. 4. I.. Becaufe there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land : Thefe two are put together, -no mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land : cer- tainly where there is the knowledge of God, there will be mercy, The dark,,places ofthe earth are habitations of cruelty, faith the Pfalmift,in dark fouls that know not God are works of . cruelty, you may conclude of any man that is of a cruel! difpoft- don, a hard hearted difpofition,of a penurious fordid difpofiti on, of a felhih difpofition, certainly this man, this woman knowes not God, if they knew what God were, what treafures of mercy there are in God, and how God delights in mercy, and that it is his glory Co communicate of his goodneffe ro his . creatures, it were impolible but their hearts would be more communicative. Secondly, God bath a great controverfie againft thee ; thou fail} thou art not bound to releive filch and fuch, thou thinkelt it is no evìll if thou doll not.wrongothers ; but thy unmerci- f ulnefhe is enough for to caufe the Lord to have a controverfie againil thy foul , in the forenamed place, Hof. 4. i. 7;he Lord hxtb et controverfie with the inhabitants of the land; for ;what, ke- A a a catsfe
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