.Part I. AN A N T I-I R 0 P 0 P A T I-I Y• 59 for his Anger, he fpared not their Souls from . Death, but gave their Life over to the Peftilence. He is faid to weigh the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a Bal!ance, lfa. xi. I 2. which notes with what Facility and Eafe the Lord can fuftain, and manage the whole Univerfe, even as Men do a fmall Pair of Scales. The Lord is faid to weigh Spirits, Prov. xvi. 2. by which his moft: exact Knowledge of our Minds and inward Frames is noted. This Metaphor is taken from Men, who do with a grea] deal of Exactnefs weigh Things that they may know their Value. See Prov. v. 21. xxi. 2. and ):xiv. 12. God is faid to put his Hook in the Nofe, and his Bridle in the Lips of his Enemies, when he flops their Fury, thwarts their Purpofes, and keeps them under, 2 Kings xix. 28. !fa. xxxvii. 29. He is faid to put the Tears of the Godly in a Bottle, when he fulfers them not to be fhed in vain, bm prcferviog their Memory, turns them to everla!l:ing Joy, Pfal. ]vi. 8. Chriji is peculiarly.faid to bear our Sins, lja.liii.4, I2 . by which their Imputation to .him, and a full SatisfaCtion is under!l:ood, *I Pet. ii. 24. Who his own Self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree, that we being dead to Sin, jhou!d live unto Rig!Jteoufnefs, by · whoft Stripes )'e were healed. God is faid to caft our Sins behind his Back,. when he forgives -them, and remits the Punifhment, lfa. xxxviii. 17. to which there is a contrary Phrafe, Pfal. xc. 8. Thou haft Jet our Iniquities before thee, our fecret Sins in the Light of thy Countenance. He is faid to ./have with a Razor the Head, and the Hair of the Feet, and the Beard, when he makes a Spoil and Deva!l:ation of the Land, and fcatters Small and Great from thence, lfa. vii. 20. t God here intimates that by the King of AJ!jria he would punifh the lfraelites, fa as that Men, Beaft:s, BuildiPgs, Plants, &c. fhould be de!l:royed ; He Jays with a Razor that is hired, that they may know it would exart its own R eward ; that is, that the Affvrians, through Greedinefs of Prey and Spoil, would make Havock of, and fweep away a// Things, '.The Lord is faid to break forth upon his Enemies, when he difperfes, crufhes, and flays them, 2 Sam. v. 20. and vi. 8. He is faid to jhoot with an Arrow, when .he heaps fwift and fpeedy Vengeance upon the Wicked, Pfal. lxiv. 7· But Godjhalljhoot at them with all Arrow, jitdden!y .fha/1 they be wounded. God is faid to write, which denotes his Knowledge and Providence, with Refpetl: to Grace and Benignity, as when he is faid to write the Godly in the Book of Life, or his Book, !fa. iv. 3· Dan. xii. 1. or when he writes his Law in their Hearts, Jer. xxxi. 33· Heb. viii. 10. by which a Renovation by the Holy Spirit is noted, that Believers fhould know, and willingly obey the Will of God, 2 Cor. iii. 3· Hence he i·s faid to grave them upon the Palm of his Hands, lfa. xlix. 16. which fhews his moll: faithful Care and eminent Grace towards them. See Rev. iii. I 2. Sometimes his Writing fignifies his Wrath and Punifhment of Sinners, as when Job fays, thou <vriteft bitter Things again.ft me, Job xiii. z6. that is, thou daft: afflict me with bitter and heavy Strokes; a Metaphor taken from Courts of Judicature, where legal Sentences are recorded, !fa. lxv. 6. Behold it is writtm before me, I will not keep Silence, but I will recompmfe, even recompenfe into their Bofom, by which divine Know– ledge is noted ; a Metaphor taken from Men, who write down in a Book or Paper what they would remember. 1t is faid, Jer. xvii. I 3· They that deparJ from thee.fha/1 be written in the Earth, be– caufe they have forfaken the Lord, the Fountain of living Waters, that is, fuch Apo!l:at~s fhall be excluded from He.ven, and defl:ined to eternal De!l:ruCl:ion. God is faid to ftarch Jerufalem with Candle.r, that is, all their fecret Sins fhal! be bro~ght to light, and punifhed, Zeph. i. 12. • f.2gQ imputatio il!i ,falla, et plenafatiifallio inttlligitur, I Pet, ii. 4• t Judiuu fi opmi Re~is AJ!jria> ifraelitat puniturum, ita ut homhw, et animalia, ac <~Edijida et p}antt:r ~ajlenrur. Ideo auum addit, cona'uEiitid, ut fiiant illlltn no'flamlatnfoammerademjlagitaluram, &c. He
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