A brief commentary upon the CIII Psalme with the severall axiomes or doctrines therein conteined [sic], and uses thereupon inferred.

1 Doctrine. The LORD will not alwaies chide.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies to contend in words that is, to chide. This God doth by

• reproving.
• threatning.

Now to be alwaies chiding may be denyed of God in a double sense. 1 When, unlesse men mend their manners within a time limi∣ted, He ceases any longer to shew His anger in words, and proceeds to deeds of severe punishment. 2 When being appeased He doth not any further shew His anger so much as in words. In the former sense He sayd, Gen. 6.3. My Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man &c. his daies shall be 120 yeares: After which time He brought the flood upon them and swept them away from earth into hell, 1 Pet. 3.19. But here the latter sense is to be understood, as appeares by the lat∣ter part of the verse. For in the former sense, when he ceases to chide, He keeps His anger in a greater degree. Understand it also of the same persons. For as often as the word is read or preached, some are reprehended or chidden.

That God will not alwaies chide, take it from His own mouth, Isa. 57.16. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I will not chide (or contend) for ever. &c. God chode with Job, chap. 38. & 39. & 40. & 41. But see chap. 42. where He ra∣ther

chode for him against his three friends, vers. 7. and turned his captivity, vers. 10. &c. He chode with David by Nathan, 2 Sam. 12. But as soon as he had sayd, I have sinned against the Lord; he received answer, The Lord hath also taken away thy sinne, thou shalt not die. So He chode with Ephraim, especially by the Prophet Hosea: But upon their repentance see how His voice was changed towards them, Jer. 31.18, 19, 20.

The Reason hereof David shewes, vers. 11. &c.

Uses.

Here we see 1 That God may and doth many times chide either with particular per∣sons or whole nations for their sinnes. Even Christians as they are subject to sinne, so they are lyable to be chidden, that is, repro∣ved, and threatned for it.

2 That yet this chiding shall not be fore∣ver. With some it ceaseth, because there is no more hope that it will doe any good for the end primarily intended by God, viz. their amendment, Prov. 9.8. Hos. 4.4. Mat. 7.6. With such God ceases to chide, that He may begin to punish, Prov. 29.1. But with His own people and servants He ceaseth to chide, out of His love to them:

because, they repenting He will not any lon∣ger shew His anger against them so much as by chiding.

This reproves 1 Such as are impatient at Gods chiding that is, at reproofs and threat∣nings out of His word, whether they be used publiquely by the minister of God, or pri∣vately. So Ahab, 1 Kings 22.8. I hate him (Micaiah) for he doth not prophesie good concerning me, but evil, that is, he re∣proves and threatens me. He should rather have hated himself, concerning whom no good could be prophesied. This was Ahab, who had sold himself to work wickednesse. What such entertainers of this act of Gods word may expect, see 2 Chron. 25.16.

2 Such as being of a bitter spirit so give way to it, that they are alwaies chiding, al∣waies reproving and threatning. These are altogether unlike to God. And if they pre∣tend Gods word for it, they make God like unto themselves, contrary to the Doctrine here in hand.

[Object.] Yea but most preachers scarce have any ser∣mons without some reproofs and threatnings.

[Answ.] Answ. These reproofs and threatnings are not intended against persons, but against sinnes, or against persons under that qualifi∣cation, and therefore stick not to the persons

any longer then they are so qualifyed.

This also may minister comfort 1 To them, with whom God chides for the pre∣sent. He will not alwaies chide. And there∣fore let them set themselves to repent and cast away their sinnes, for which onely God chides. And as soon as they sincerely endea∣vour this (though they be not so throughly purged as to stand before Him, if He should mark every thing that is done amisse) He will cease to chide. Yea as the pillar, which was a cloud and darknesse to the Egypti∣ans, gave light to the Israelites, Exod. 14.20. so the Scripture, which chides a man remai∣ning in his sins, comforts him when he repents.

2 Much more to the godly against the chidings of men. God, to Whom they must stand or fall, speaks peace to them, and not onely blesses when men curse, Psal. 109.28. but blesses the more because of their cursing, 2 Sam. 16.12.

Lastly this should exhort us to imitate God herein.

Motiv. 1. Unlesse our chiding be princi∣pally for Gods cause, it is railing. Now how can it be for Gods cause, if we chide, when He chides not? Nay indeed Gods cause is one∣ly pretended, that we may vent our own spleen and malice, whereby their hearts are

made sad, whom God would not have to be sad. 2 Instruction and Exhortation are the ordinary food of the soul; Reproofs and threatnings are purging physick, as Comforts are cordialls. The former there∣fore are constantly to be used: these latter onely upon occasion; and Chiding, so long onely, till sinnes be (evangelically) purged out.

Notes

• Explic.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Instr.
• Repr.
• Consol.
• Exhort.