Uses.
Observe here 1 That even good men sometimes (though not as such) have their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 their iniquities or sinnes perversly committed.* As vers. 3.
2 & 3 as in the former Doctrine mu∣tatis mutandis.
4 That God doth not punish of necessity. He is indeed necessarily just, and hence af∣fected to punish sinners: but He is also ne∣cessarily mercifull, and hence affected to spare where He might punish. If He should deale strictly according to Justice, all sinners should perish: and if altogether according to Mercy, all should be saved. Wherefore His Wisdome dictates, and His Free will determines, how and how farre both these Attributes are to be exercised. Amongst men, justice requires that we doe injury to no man, either by deteining from him the good due, or by inflicting upon him the e∣vil Page 211not due: but it requires not, that we should not doe him more good, or inflict upon him lesse evil then is due. He that withholds either totally or in part the good that is due, is unjust: but he that gives, over and above what is due, is not unjust, but bountifull. He that punisheth an innocent man at all, or a nocent man beyond his me∣rit, is unjust; but he that either punisheth below the desert, or totally remits an offense committed against himself, is not unjust, but clement and mercifull. And if this be so amongst men, much lesse may this liberty be denyed to God the supreme Lord of all. His justice requires that He should not give lesse then He hath promised (for having pro∣mised He becomes a debtour, though not to the creature, yet to Himself, Heb. 6.10.) but it is His bounty, not injustice, to give more then He hath promised. Again His justice suffers Him not to punish them that are innocent, nor yet sinners beyond their merit: but to forgive sinnes freely for Christs sake, or not to deale with sinners accor∣ding to their iniquities, is not injustice, but mercy.*
This reproves 1 Such as are too strict and severe even against great offenses of their children, servants, brethren: Whereas even Page 212their beasts are not to be cruelly used.
2 Such as deale with erring (or perhaps in∣nocent) men according to iniquities, laying great punishments upon them for small or no faults. We read but of once that God ope∣ned the mouth of a beast to speak, and then it was to reprove the madnesse of him that offended in this kind, though but against his beast, Numb. 22. 2 Pet. 2.
3 Such as requite evil for good. So Na∣bal 1 Sam. 25. Absalom farre worse; who being himself most ungratefull and ungraci∣ous to his father, yet could accuse Hushai of ingratitude, 2 Sam. 16.17. Of such David complaines Psalm. 35.12. & 109.4, 5. not without an imprecation, vers. 6. &c. So Jer. 18.20. and that also with an impreca∣tion, vers. 21. See also Prov. 17.13.
4 As worst of all, Such as requite God e∣vil for good: God, I say, from Whom cometh whatsoever good we have or are, Dent. 32.15. &c. Isa. 1.2. &c. Hos. 2.8. And especially, if from Gods clemency (of which here) they take occasion to presume, Ezra 9.13, 14.
But let the clemency of God exhort us 1 To patience under afflictions,* seeing what∣soever we suffer is lesse then we have de∣served.
Page 213 2 To imitate Him in moderating our an∣ger and the effects of it, not onely towards errours (as in the former Doctrine) but even towards offenses committed perversly against us.
Motives, as in the former.
3 That our thankfulnesse (as Davids here) should rise by the same gradation as Gods clemency doth. If we ought to blesse and praise Him for not doing to us according to our errours: much more for not dealing with us according to our iniquities.
The grounds of thankfulnesse in both are the same in generall with those in the former benefits, vers. 3. &c. viz. 1 The greatnesse of the benefit. 2 Our need of it. 3 & 4 The love and free grace of God from which it proceeds.
