Thirdly, It is sparing mercy, when judgement is moderated: When though God punish, yet he doth not punish to the full; when though the cloud break, yet he lets but a few drops fall on us, and doth not pour out showers, or make an inundation to overwhelm us; when though he strike, yet he gives but few strokes; yea, if he abate but one stroke, it is sparing mercy. The Jews (2 Cor. 11.24.) gave Paul, forty stripes, save one; and in this they would be thought to be merciful, because they might have given him forty by the Law (Deut. 25.3.) therefore to abate one, was sparing mercy. As to punish beyond the Law, though it be but a little beyond, is cruelty; so to punish less, though it be but a little less, is mercy: And this is brought in as an argument of great mercy (Psal. 78.38.) But he being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath: They felt his wrath, but God did not stir up all his wrath; they were smitten, but not destroyed, Justice did not make an utter end of them, there was mercy in that. The like read (Jer. 30.11. Jer. 46.28.) I will not let thee go altogether unpunished (yet I will spare thee, though I punish thee) I will correct thee in measure, I will not make a full end of thee. But are not all the corrections of God, yea and his judgements too done in measure? All the judgements of God are done in measure, as measure notes a rule of equity, but not as measure notes a rule of equality. Again, to do a thing by measure doth not always note the rule by which it is done, but the degree in which it is done. And so to do a thing in measure is to do it moderately; as when it is said (John 3.24.) That God gives not the spirit by measure to Christ: the meaning is only this, he gives him the spirit abundantly, infinitely, without stint or limit: So when it is said, that he corrects man in measure, the meaning ⟨p. 303⟩is only this, that he corrects him moderately, mercifully, with many stints and limits. It is of the Lords mercy, (saith Jeremiah Lam. 3.22.) What? That we are delivered? That we are crowned with comforts? These are of the Lords mercy indeed, but he speaks not of these, the mercy he speaks of is, That we are not utterly consumed. What kind of mercy is this? Sparing mercy.
Thirdly, It is sparing mercy, when judgement is moderated: When though God punish, yet he doth not punish to the full; when though the cloud break, yet he lets but a few drops fall on us, and doth not powre out showres, or make an inundation to overwhelme us; when though he strike, yet he gives but few strokes; yea, if he abate but one stroke, it is sparing mercy. The Jewes (2 Cor. 11.24.) gave Paul, forty stripes, save one; and in this they would be thought to be mercifull, because they might have given him forty by the Law (Deut. 25.3.) therefore to abate one, was sparing mercy. As to punish beyond the Law, though it be but a little beyond, is cruelty; so to punish lesse, though it be but a little lesse, is mercy: And this is brought in as an argument of great mercy (Psal. 78.38.) But he being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stirr up all his wrath: They felt his wrath, but God did not stirr up all his wrath; they were smitten, but not destroyed, Justice did not make an utter end of them, there was mercy in that. The like read (Jer. 30.11. Jer. 46.28.) I will not let thee goe altogether unpunished (yet I will spare thee, though I punish thee) I will correct thee in measure, I will not make a full end of thee. But are not all the corrections of God, yea and his judgements too done in measure? All the judgements of God are done in measure, as measure notes a rule of equity, but not as measure notes a rule of equality. Againe, to doe a thing by measure doth not alwayes note the rule by which it is done, but the degree in which it is done. And so to doe a thing in measure is to doe it moderately; as when it is sayd (John 3.24.) That God gives not the spirit by measure to Christ: the meaning is onely this, hee gives him the spirit abundantly, infinitely, without stint or limit: So when it is sayd, that he corrects man in measure, the meaning ⟨p. 303⟩is onely this, that he corrects him moderately, mercifully, with many stints and limits. It is of the Lords mercy, (saith Jeremie Lam. 3.22.) What? That we are delivered? That we are crowned with comforts? These are of the Lords mercy indeed, but hee speakes not of these, the mercy hee speakes of is, That we are not utterly consumed. What kinde of mercy is this? Sparing mercy.
