Chap. 38. an Expojitionupon the Baok.ofJ o 6. Verf.23. as Secondly, Obferve, Godú verypatient, he doth not prefently takevengeance , nor bring trouble, thoughhe bealwayes providedfor st, and able todo it. As he retaineth not his anger for ever, fohe refiraineth it long , becaufehe delight etb in mercy ( Mic. 7. t$. ) As mercy moves the Lord fpeedily to receive repenting linnets into fav-iur, fo it prevails with him tobe very flow in tending judgements upon chofe that are impenitent. The Lord referved or kept back the watersof the flood a hundred and twenty years from drowning the Old World ; though, as they provoked and even dared him to do it every day by their prefumptuous finning. againtt his warnings, fo he was able to do it any hour or moment of the day. Thirdly Note , Truble bath its time orfeafon. The e is time for every purpofe under the Sun (Eccl. 3. r.) Menhave times for their purpofes,and fo bath God (much snore) for his he bath his times for quietnefs and times for trouble. And as fin is the caufe and lourfe of all trouble, lo when lin is ripe , trouble is ready. When men have filled up the meafure of their fin , then God pours down trouble upon them, or makes it a time of trouble, that theymay râfle and fee, and be convin- ced how evil and how bitter a thing it is CO fin againfl the Lord. The Amorites were full of iríiquiry , when God £pake to Abra- ham (Gen. i 5. 16.) but their iniquity was notfull , and there- fore th it time of trouble,the time when their Land fpewed them out to make room for the Childrenof /froze!, was not till a long time after. Fourthly Note; Times oftrouble arefpecially known to, andappointedby God. As he referves his flores of vengeance for thole times, fohe knows thofe times. Wile Princes referve flores a;ainfl that evil time of war, &c. yet when that evil time will be they know note but to God all times are known. David faid (Pfal. 3 t. a 5.) tafy times are in thy band , that is, my times of peace and trou- B b ble,
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