Chap. so. An &.epotition upon the Book of J ò B. Verf. £4. z z himgoe, and called himBrother, But how did God take it at his hands ? (ver. 42. ) Thusfaith the Lord, becaufe thou haft let himgot out of thyhand, a manwhom Ihaveappointed to utter de- flrutlion ; therefore thy lifegall geefor hie life , and thy people for his people. Benhadad was appointed by God to utter deftru&ion, yet Ahab was favou-ableto him,and let him goe free. But when the Lord finites his own people fparingly,(there is a fparing mer- cy in fmiting) Thewicked Imite without mercy, and will not (pare. When God intends not their deftru&ion but corredfion, the men ofthe world are unfatisfied with any thing that is leffe then their utter deftru&ion (I fa. 47. 6.) Iwas wroth with my people, lhave polutedmine Inheritance, andgiven them into thine band : ( this the Lord acknowledgeth he had done ) thou didft thew them no mercy. As ifthe Lord had fayd, I was angry,indeed, with mine Inheritance, and put them into thy power, but thou ( thou haft exceeded thy orders in the execution of them, ) thou haft!hewed no mercy ; and upon the Ancient thou did.f# lay the yea*, and not only a yoak, but a heavy yoak, yea thou didfl very hea- vily lay the ',oak, even upon the Ancient. The Edomites and `Phi - li(lines are under the fame rebuke ( ezek.25. 12.15.) Thee faith the LordGod, becaufe Edon, loath dealt againfl the bouteofyudah by taking vengeance, and kathgreatly offended and revenged him- felfe upon them. Againe (v. i5. ) Thais faith the Lord god , be- caufe the¶biliflines have dealt by revenge, and taken vengeance with a defpitefeellheart to deflroy itfor the old hatred. Therefore be- hold I willflretch out my hand upon the Philiflines. Both thefe bloody Nations over-a&ed the difpleafure of God againft his people, and ailing their own private fpirit fee forward their ca- lamity. We read (2 (bron. 28. 9.) that, God being angry with 7udab, the I /raelites came anddeftroye4 their brethren with a rage that reacheth unto heaven, that is, with the extreameft rage imaginable. They who fayd, Let us buildus a Citie.anda Tower, whole topmay reach to heaven (Gen. z i. 4.) were furely refolved to build as high as they could ; and doubtleffe, they were as out- ragious as they could, in deftroying their brethren,who deftroy- ed themwith a rage that reached unto heaven,or with a rage,the cry whereofcame up to God in heaven,os the cry of Abels blood did ( gen. 4.) asalfo the cry of Sodoms filthinefs (Geis. z 8. ) The Lord was gracious toPaul ( `Phil. 2. 27, ) in reference to his 5
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