y so Chap. 29. An Expef,tion upon t' he Book, of Jos. V,7, r 3.' ti with Laban, who was all() the ion of Bethuel a Syrian, and he was ready to perish , becaufe he feared the unmercifulnefs of his bro- ther Efau, who had threatned to kill him (Gen. 27. 41.) and marched againfl hitn with four hundred men in his return from Laban. Thirdly, not a few ate ready to peril under fatfe accu- rations which bring them into hazzard of life or liberty. Thus Jo- feph was ready to perifh upon the unjull fuggefiions of his wanton Mifirefs againfl him. And thus the Apoftie Paul was often rea- dy to perifh by the wicked inliigations of the Jews, and he was , delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon (a Tim. 4. 17.) Fourthly, others are ready to perifh by the ;uft fentence of the Judge, being condemned for their faults and offences ; of fuch ('tis conceived) So/own fpeaks (Prow. 31. 6.) Give flrong drink to chefs tbat are ready to perifh, andwine to chofe ofa heavy.heart that is, to con- \ demned perlons, give them fomewhat to refrefh their fpirits, left they fink under their forrowsand found away. 'Tie tome corn- Idotrlevs mibi fort to thofe who are ready to perifh to have their hearts a little jufpicioefl,lo. cheated before they dye; but'ris a comfort indeed to lave them bummare corn- fromdeath, as merciful Princes fometimes doe. .It is Paid of the mendareillam Emperour Thtolofsu, that he once in a great folemnity gave optimi ertutrn,rn fes pardon to all that were prifaners, adding this merciful wiih to his recordiam, lqu.e work of mercy ; I would I bad the liberty even to ra:fe tke dead, a rnarentibus and reflore themunto life who are already permed. vim. may ftp- panar extremé pole, that fob hid the bleffing of him that w,w ready tve to perifh, `ap'tufuppltci- hewas fo merciful, that he fometimes,fpared and para,'ned thole am remtttit, who were uftl condemned for yet repented and promiled a Pined. J Y Y r chryfofl. H. mendment of their faults. When offenders are eleeply. herrabled 20. Ad Pope and engage to become new men, it may not be amiff to mix de- Anriochenam, mency with juflice, in tome cafes, and give them a new life. 'Ma- gilirates muff not encourage any to offend,buc they may thew mer- cy to fame that have offended. And the Rolling of chofe that are ready toperifh, not only by their own wants, or by the unmerci- fulneffe and falle accufations of others, buteven by the jufl fen- tence of the Law, may come upon them, as Job found it came upon hit,. At the elevenah verse of this Chapter, Job laid, When the ear beard me, then it bleed me; Here he faith,Tbeblefding ofhim that was ready toperifh came upon me. Therql,we had the aft of blef- fing, here the fruit and effect. of it :4 there we law ,how and in what
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