Chap, 37. e/inExpoftion upon theBvck B. Veil, #3 mercy and free ;race ; but we are to receive every bir of bread as coming to us through mercy, freely, and not upon any account of our own workings or defervings. And if we cannot deferve a fbowre, no nor a drop of rain from the Clouds, if we cannot de- ferve a Crop of Corn from theEarth, then furely we cannot de- ferve grace or Peace from God, or eternal life and hapi:ineis with God. Therefore how (timid we magnifie and admire the mercy and free grace of God for spiritual thing,, when we fee inch caufe of magnifying him, even for temporal good things ! if the Clouds are favourable to us, it is of mercy. Further , That notion may be well irnprov'd, which force give of this word, reading the Abilraa by the Concrete ; we fay, For mercy, they fay for ale merciful', that is, for the liberal'', benign >e, and mercifasüman,the man ofa large heart to d;good :God caufeth the Cloud to come fomtimes for Correfion, ufually fer his land, to conveigh commoncomforts, and he bath his times wherein he caufethit to come for the merciful, that is, in fpecial favour to thofe that are mercifull, and good, and gracious, both as they have received grace from God , and as they have done good things for and among men : He that wateretb, pall be watereda!- fo btmfelf, (Pro. a T. Zq.) Thus you fee the three -fold Meffage that God fends the Clouds upon, either to Correa. men for their fin, or for bis Land, that the Creature in general may have fub- fiflence, or for fpecialfavour and mercy to his peculiar people, and for thofe above the reff,of good men, who are mercifull and ready to do good. g2I X x JOß,
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