their delight, and the desire of their eyes; but also with reverence
to their faith and hope in their God. They think themselves beyond
the reach of his mercy. Wherefore in answer to this conceit it is,
that the Lord asketh, saying, "Is my hand shortened at all that it
cannot redeem?" (Isa 50:2). And again, "Behold, the Lord's hand
is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that
it cannot hear" (Isa 59:1). Wherefore he saith again, "If any of
them be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence
will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch
thee" (Deu 30:4). God has a long arm, and he can reach a great
way further than we can conceive he can (Neh 1:9): When we think
his mercy is clean gone, and that ourselves are free among the
dead, and of the number that he remembereth no more, then he can
reach us, and cause that again we stand before him. He could reach
Jonah, tho' in the belly of hell (Jonah 2); and reach thee, even
then, when thou thinkest thy way is hid from the Lord, and thy
judgment passed over from thy God. There is length to admiration,
beyond apprehension or belief, in the arm of the strength of the
Lord; and this is that which the Apostle intended by this word,
Length; namely, To insinuate what a reach there is in the mercy
of God, how far it can extend itself. "If I take the wings of the
morning," said David, "and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold
me" (Psa 139:9,10). I will gather them from the east, and from
the west, and from the north, and from the south, saith he: That
is, from the utmost corners.

This therefore should encourage them that for the present cannot
stand, but that do fly before their guilt: Them that feel no help
nor stay, but that go, as to their thinking, every day by the power