CHAP.I. upontheEpiflleofJ AM E s. / VERS.5. patience and pardoning mercy: And thar,I fuppofe, was the rcafon why the Apofiles (when Chrifi talked of forgiving our brother{t~ ven timn in one day) cryed out, Lu~ 17. 5. Lord encreafe our faith, as not being able to beleeve fo ~.rear a pardoning m~r~y, ei– ther in themfelves or God ·: And therefore alfo, I fuppofe, Jt 1s that God doth with fuch vehemency lhew every where; that his heart bath other manner ofdifpoGtions then mans hath,ifai, 55'. 8,9. Mj thoughts are not M your thoughts, ~:Jar my ways o:u your ways; tu far M the heavens are above. th~ earth, [0 are my thoughts a6ove )tJUr thoughts. I am not flra1ghmed mbowels, nor hardned, nor implacab.le,as menar.e: As there is avafi fpace and difiance be– tween the earth and the firmament ; fo between your dropand my Ocean. So Hofea I I.f}. I am God, and not man, and therefore Ephrv~im foall not be deflroyed ·'that is, I have not fuch a narrow heart, fuchwrat"hful, implacable difpofitions as men have. Well then, ·confider wh-en Cod giveth, he will give like ·himfelf; do not meafure hit-n by the-wretched ilralghtneffe ofyour own hearts, and oonfine God within ·Ehe circle ofthe creatures. ~ris faid of Ar~tu39 nab, that he gave .u a X ing to David. What ever God cloth, 2. Sam. 34 , 2 3 he will do .u a ·God-, above the rate and meafure of the creatures, fomething befitting the infiniteneife and eternity of .his own eifence. 17. 1 Fr.o 1 m .bt~~fame7 dbaufe [d~pbhraideth not,.Jh You may morhe obferv. 12 • parttcu ar yo terve ; at·Go uot not repro.~tc his people wit the frfquency--of ·theiraddrejfes to him former'cy, t~nd is never weary doing~themgaod. Tismans ufe to excufe himfdf by what he hath done already : theywill rl!count their former favours to deny the prefent requefis; .mens 'frcck is foon fpent, they wafie by giving, aoo theretore they foon grow weary ;:yea, we are afraid to . prefs afriend too much, lefi. by frequent ufe, kindnds be worn out: y,ou know 'tis.Solomons advice, Prov. 25. 17. Let thy fobt be feldom-in'thJ neighbiJUrs houfe, left he be Weary of thee, and fo hate thee. Thus"cis with men, either out of penury, or{.tciety, they ar~ foon full of their friends. -But 8whata difference there is between.ounearthty .and'·our heavenlyfriend : the tJjtner we cometoGod, thew.elepmer, and the more weacquaint our[elves with him, th.e· more.~~'daT»ttth tom~ Job-z1.21. His gates are always ~pm~, and he.is·fiilheady to receive us. We need not be afraid to wgeGod.tGtthenexta4h:floveand kindnefs; z Cqr, I.Io. who - - ·- ·-- --- ----- --- -·-·--- ·--- --·-·-·-·--- - -· d(./i't'eruL
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