414 Chap.3 r. An Expofition upon the Book of J o s. Verf.iz, unto them ; He that is without finono %gyou, let him fill caft 4 ¡tone at her. As they propoled a queftion to infnare him , fo he makes a propofall to them as they thought, to infnare them; As ifhe had fayd, though I doe not deny but thee is worthy to be punifhed with death ; Yet here is an anfwer for you ; He that is without fin among you, let himcafi thefirfl "lane at ber, (v. 9. ) Andthey whichheard it being conviff'ed by their owne confciencei . meet out ene by one,beginning at the eldeft even unto the loft : And Yafiu was left alone, and the womanffanding in the midi"; when ?dies bad left up bimfelfe and faro nose but the woman, be fayd unto her, woman whereare thole thine accufers ? bath no man con- demned thee ? /beefayd,no manLard, e4nd fefue fayd unto her, neither doe Icondemne thee, goe, andfin no more. He faith not, no manought tocondemne thee, but teeingnone have condemned thee, I will not take that office uponme , I came not into the world toexercife Judiciary power againft offenders, but to pun. chafe and procure pardon for offenders. Though Chrift would have nothing to doe in judging that fin according to the law, yet be doth not deny but rather determine that it was a fin condem- ned by the law, avid to be punifbed by the ?edges. Nor is it a final) peice ofJuftice or ofthe Judges duty to pro= fecute and execute thofe lawes which concerne eyther the preven- ting or punifhingof this heinotu crime. And if this crime fhould efcape unpunifhed bymen, yet lure enough God will take his time, and find ont wayes to punifh it, yea he will make this fin punifh it felfe, or make it a punifhment to it felfe, rather then it Mall not be punifhed : As lob fhewes in the next verfe. Verf. tar For it is a fire that confumetb to defenillos, and would root out all mine increafe. This verfe containes a further confideration, which kept lob from thefe defilements; And furely if the heinoufneffe of the crimein its owne nature, and the punifhablenefTe of it by men, be not enough to drawoff the tons anddaughters of men from it, yet the fiery indignation and wrath of Godmay. For it isa fire that conftsmeth todef"ruiien, or, Afire eat- 47:811 ItJ1;t ing to defiruflio t; as the elegancy ofthe Hebrew bath it, ¡gnu Woo Fire is a great eater ; firebath a Iron flomacke, a littlewill Tints vícletur i g , not
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