Chap. 3/ . .An Expofition upon the Boob, of . J. o B. Verf. 27. 453 very fare affliction, chaflenedwith paine uponhis bed,and the mul- titude of his bones with flróng paine : So that his life abhorred" bread, and hisfoul dainty meat yet he mutt confeffe, his fuff_r- ings are lets then his fn.The Church of the Jewes acknowledged this as to thatgreat affliction, their captivity in Babylon (Ezra 9. 13.) After all that is come upon ras for our evili deeds , and for oar. great trefpaffe, feeing that our God hath punifhed us leffe then our iniquities deferve, &ç. I-t was no little punifhment which that people endured, yet they confeffed it was leffe then their ini- quity. The leaff fin is fo great, that no punifhment which man is capable of in this life can equal! it nor can that in the life to come equalkit as to.prefent degeee, but only by the everlafting- _nefs of its duration. Secondly, Note. fouls truly humbled is ready to eonfefs to the glory ofGod, thathis puni fhment and fuffering is lefs thin hisfin. Asagodly mandoth not thinke any fin little , fo he dorib not thinke any affliaion great compared with his fin. Coin fayd, My punifhneent is greater then I can Beare ; but he did not fay, it was . greater then his fin. How hot foever the furnaceof divinewrath is heated, yet fanners muff acknowledge there is fparingmercy in ir; and that God might have made it feven times hotter, and therefore hath afflicted them lefs then their fin. As a godlyman is ready to acknowledge his mercy more then he bath d`eferved ( Gen: 3 a. i o.) I ( fayd 7aco6) mu not worthy ofthe leaf! ®fall themercies, and all the truth which thou halt fhewed unto thyfer vaut , as if he had fayd ; Iam lefs in my goodwings then any of thy aCtings towards the for good havebeen) fo he is ready to fay1his greatett afflictions or evills which he fuff'ereth arelefs then his-fins, or then the evills which he hath done. Secondly, The word fignifieth toprofit, fo we tranflare; And,yerbnm 7°(9tD it profiteth me not. Other Scriptures comply with this fence (He- expono, profile fler 3.8.) Haman in his malicious and envious fuggefcionr agahift non fun nubs the Jews, tells the King,lt is not for the Kings profit to fuffer them c®nductbfe quod pe;ca= to continue. He ufeth the fame word again (Hef#: 5. f 3.) where ism. Mercy after he had reported all the great things that he enjoyed , he concludes ; what dothall this profit me ? or all this availeth me-no- thing, fo long as I feeMordecai theTen, fitting at the.Kings gate ? Thus.
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