Chap.' 6, An Ézpoftión upon 'the fsook, of J OB v,13, 3o3 ing is only this, that he corrects :him moderately, mercifully, with many flints and limits. It is of the Lords mercy, '(faith 'cremiah, Lam, 3, 22.) What ? That we are delivered ? That we are crowned with comforts ? Thefe are of the Lords mer cy indeed, but he (peaks not of there, the mercy he fpcaks of is That we are not utterly confis-ned. What kind ofmercy is, this ? Sparing mercy. Suppofe God take away many chi'. dren, yet ifhe leavebut one, here is (paring mercy to the Pa- rents : Suppofe he take many hundreds and thoufinds of a mails eutate, yet if he leave him a little to buy bread, and to hand between him and beggary, this is fparing mercy : Sup. pofe we aremuch confirmed, yet if we are not utterly confo. med, this alto is fparing.mercy. In the prpphefìè of Daniel, we readof a goodly tree. And beholda watcher and anholy one came downfrom Heaven, and cryed aloud Hew down the Treeand cut offhis branches, (hake off his leaves and`fcatter kitfruit, &c. Neverthelefs leave the frump of his root in the earth, &c. Though it was judgement to (hake offthe leaves and fruit, to hew down theboughs and ftoçk,yet it was fpa- ring mercy to leave the root, that gave hopes it might grow again, and not be utterly confirmed ; 'tis (paring mercy when any thing is referved But God did not fpare yob, he took all ; he did not leave him (as we fay) A Shirt to bit back, nor a found patch in his skin Satans power had no limit;put to it., but as to life only (Chap. 2. 6.) Beholdhe is in thy hand, but (or only) favehis life : There was indeed fomewhat ofmercy in that, and that was more then Satan would have fpared,yet it was but fomuch as without which he could not have groaned out this complaint, as to the lofs ofall other comforts,-He doth notfpare. ;Fourthly, There is a fparingmercy of God in the very ac`s of afiliding ,. when he thews that he is Unwilling toaf- ilit`, or difcovers tendernefs to them that areafi6ted (Lan: 3. i 2,(He cloth not willingly afiel nor grieve the children ofmen As there are many who will ferve God in an outward forth of,worfhip, whom yet they neither ferve nor worship with their will :So God will afllió} fome,whom he doth nottafhüd` withhis will he doth not give out his Spirit,or take delight in Canting" while he finites them. Thus the Loci expreffed himfeif towards his ancient people the J'ewr he threatens Ira -.
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