Chap. 4a. An Expefstion upon the Book. of Jon. Verf. 8. 883 Secondly, Inhis readinefs to Phew mercy. The Scripture faith he is flow towrath, and ready to forgive ; his goodnefs doth even adde wings to his mercy, caufingit to fly fwifdy, to the relief of fenfable and humbled finners;or(as one of the ancients expreffeth, he fharpneth the fword of bis juflice with the oile of his mercy; and fo it becomes a healing, as well as a wounding, (word. Secondly, In that the Lord himfelf gave this direction, Tale unto you (even bullock!, and feven rams, &c. ()Verve; God,againfi whom we fin, f ewetb ses the ray,toget peace,and the pardonof oar fins. When man finned at firlf, or when the firfc man fell into fin, there he had lain for ever, if the Lord had not (hewed him a waif out r Had it been Jett CO man., to devife a way to recover himfelf when he was faller;, his fall had been irrecoverable, he had never found how to get at once his fin pardoned, and the ju- (lice of God fatisfied, This was the Lords own invention (and it was the molt noble and excellent one,that ever was in theworld) he (hewed fallen manat fidi how toget up ; and herehe gave di- ret3ion to thefe fallen men, what to do that theymight :The Lord, who was their Judge,;was alto their Counfellor. Thirdly, Confrdertheïparticular way.of their peacemaking, it was by facrifice , î'ake -onto you feven bullocks, and feven rams, &e. Hence note; Sacrifices for fin were appointedand commanded by God, not deviled by man. Sacrifices have been from thebeginning:Cain and Abel brought their offerings unto the Lt::0 (Gen. 4..3,4.) Noah, alto, builded analtar unto the Lord, And oferávlafi wt-afftrings'on the altar (Gen. 8. ao.) aA6raban, oífeiedgçhe fam;4gr.,a; burnt-offering (Gen. zz. a ;.) Ietow though thed4,ty for xCr lçea'was ,eon fpr- malty given in chore times, yet iç was really given. Alf thèfe elder facrifices were of the Lordsappointment, and by his dire- &ion, as well as thole 34 and after the clays;of c_afefes., There is no expiating of fnagainft;God,by.ehe xxvefratiotit of 79101v. 'Tice- thensoffered facrifices to their idol-gods, imitating t4 -wonfl1ip Vvvvv 2 of
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