Chap. x i. An Expofition ;span the Rook. of J O B. Verf. 6. 53 God defer any time, or remit any part, it is a favour ; As Chrift paid, fo he paid all for believers : and the damned !hall pay all in hell ; there (hall beno releaing , no compoundingof their debts. And beeaufe they- are not able to pay down the full fumme at once, therefore they (hall alwaies be paying. I-low rich is the grace which we have by Jefus Chrift, thorow whom God relea- feth all ourdebts ! We muff have paid all, if thrift had not paid all. Now he hath paid all ,. and we pay none at all. Chrif} having paid all for -his redeemed ones, God doth not exaft one farthing from them , much leffe the utmoft farthing, as he will from the impenitent and unbelievers. Thirdly, Obferve, _evictions are the defect offinne. Godexalteth ofthee leffe then thy iniquity or then thine iniquity deferveth. Molt are affl'fted for their fin, none had ever been affliûed , if they had not finned. The doftrine is true , though Zophar failed in his application. lob was a finner (the belt of Saints on earth are 'inners) yet God afflifted lob for the trial and improvement of grace, not for the purging or correûing of his iniquity, as hath been obferved from thofe words in the fe- cond Chapter, Thouprovoke,fl me to affliît himwithout caufe, that is , without fuch caufe as thou fuggeflel, his iniquity or hypo-. en fie. Fourthly, Obferve, That all the afflations ofthis life are lef than our fins. That's 'z.ra's confeflion (Ezra 9.1 3.) After all that is come capon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trefpaffe, feeing that thouour god haft punifhod us leffe than our iniquities deferve. Was it a touch, or Lome light ftroke which God gave ferufalem ? Was their wound but a fcratch , or their of iûion little ? Read the La- mentations ofJeremy, and you (hall finde howdoleful, how fad, how terrible a judgement was brought upon Jerufalem, even fuch, as Was not done under the wholeheaven, and yet £'z,ra faith, Thou haft ptinifbed to lcffè than our iniquities deferve. As all the good which we do in this life is leffe than the leaft of the mercies of God ; fo the leafs evil of fin whichwe commit, is greater than all` the evils ofpunilhment in this life. In the life to come , god will make even with !timers and with Saints. Thefe (Bail receive as much good as Chrift bathdeferved for them , and they Ihall re- ceive as much evil as tkemfelves have deferved : Both are here H 3 hors
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