3:66 Things for lootercifnll men to confider of. and when ever thou art crying to God,faith God here's a cruel hard hearted wretch, if he get but advantage over others, he will improve it to the utrermoft, and let others perilh and fuf- fer never fo much, he cares nor, yet becomes to nie for mer- cy, know the Lord in the time of thy prayer will remember all thy cruelty, and all the hardnefle of thy heart towards others: This is the evil of thine unmercifulnefle. Ninthly , Thou mayeft expect that God will harden others againft thee. Tenthly , Know, that this fin of cruelty and hardnefs of heart towards others, it is worfe then a heathenish fingofephaas in -his r 5.book ofAntiquities, and r s. Ch: tels a notable Rory of Herod whom you read of in Scripture, a wicked wretch: It 'was Herod A ritpa that was flame with wormes, this Herod 'ofejhn tells of him, that in the time of common- dearth and calamity,he melted all his plate that he had,al the gold and fil- ver that he had in the Court, he melted it all, and put it into money, and he fpar'd nothing for the excellency of the fashion and workmanfhip, he had many curious peeces of plate that had excellent workmanfhip about them, but he fpared none, but melted all, and bought corn with ir, and gave it outaunto the poor for their reliefe; and provided work for them too,and gave a great part to (+rangers, and becauf that the dearth was fo -great that they had nor fo much as feed to low their fields withal!, he did not only provide bread for them, but provided feed-corn to low their ground for another yeare , thus eVen Herod, wicked Herod, that we cry out fo much upon, for he was ungodly,and a reprobate,yet for the outward work of mer- cy, he was thus merciful( to thole that were in mifery. But here it's laid, That they are blef ed that are merci- ful. It's true, If they be gracioufly merciful, if they exercif mercy as a work of fairh,and cendred up in the name ofChrift, but this was for the outward part of the work of mercy, and in this he went beyond a great many among us that make great profeffìon of Religion, unmercifullnefs it is worfe then a Hea- thenifh fui. Eleventhly,
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