Chap,' 6. An Expofitionupon the Boo1Z, of J' O'ß, Ver, r 3, 30} fpareth the Sons of men ; he bath both powzr and right to punifh fìnful man to the utmift,bat he fpares him : To hold' the hand, though but a little, is fparing mercy but Job found not this mercy, He dotb not fpare;As if he had'faid,The Lord/ayes on,layes on, and dot! notforbear. F nce Obferve. Zbere is mercy in fparing. There is a fivefold mercy ofG'.yd :j Firft, Rewardingmercy;towards thofe who have done well Secondly,pardoningmercy, which is exerci fed toward, thofe who have done ill, or towards part fin. Thirdly, preventing mere y, whe nhe keeps us from evil whether it be evil of fin or of puni fhment. Fourthly, Delivering merey,when though'he let us fall in- to the evil" of fin, or punifhment, yet he is pleafed to help us up- and take us outagain. Fifthly, There is Sparing mercy ; ifwhilewe are in afili- (lion God deals gently with us,this is fparing nercy:AsGod was not pleafed to prevent jobs forrows, nor to deliverhim from them, fo he did not (pare him in them, his hand con- timed) heavy upon him and he had no cafe. There is a fourfold degree ofthis- fparing mercy of God. Firft, Not to punifh at all : thus God fometirnes (pares his own people, as a Fatherfparetb bis Son thatferves bim (Mal. 3 17.) though they fail, yet he pafTeth it by,' and loth' not reckon with them for it. The Lord rprefented himfelf to -A os, forming Grafs hoppers, which either in kinde, or in afigure f fhadowing the Affyrians) threatned to devour the Land ; this Vi lionput the Prophetupon that earned prayer,0 Lordforgive,by whomfball Jacob arife,for he isfmaí'1? The Lord repentedfor tai ; It fball"not befaith tbeLord,Amos 7 r,2, 3.) Here was (paring mercy,and'this is repeated a fe- cond time, verfe 6 yet in the third Vifiónofplumbe line (by which God was noted, takingerr notice ofall the uneven- nefs and crookednefs of that people in that Vifion á I fay)as the Prophet fufpended prayer,fo the Lord`being refolved,no longer to fufpend.their punifhtnent, faith, 1 will not pair :bjr sbeittagain any more: that'is,I will fparè them no more,which isagain repeated, Chap. 8e 2, where by a Basket of Sum. mer
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