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

2 Doctrine. The LORD is gracious.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 gracious.] The grace of God is often by a Metonym. effic. put for a double ef∣fect of it, noting 1 holy habits begotten in the mind and heart, as saving knowledge of God, faith, hope, charity &c. 1 Cor. 1.4, 5. 1 Pet. 4.10. 2 The continuall assistance of the Holy Spirit, 2 Cor. 12.9. But here it is taken in the proper signification: and so it imports the manner, according to which God out of His goodnesse, love, mercy, de∣livers the creature from evils and enriches it with good things, namely gratis, or freely. For deliverance from evil, Psal. 51.1. For bestowing of good, Gen. 33.5, 11. When therefore God is sayd to be gracious, the meaning is, that He is ready to remove evil from His creature, and to bestow good up∣on it, not upon any precedent merit or debt, or yet out of hope of recompense, whereby any thing may accrew to Himself; but onely that it may be well with the creature.

For the Proof and Reason, See the former Doctrine.

[Object.] If it be objected, that God doth not give salvation but according to His covenant prescribing conditions, without performance whereof He hath threatned and sworne that no man shall enter into His rest.

[Answ.] I answer, that Grace and Faith doe very

well agree. Whereupon the Scripture a∣scribing our Justification to Grace, doth al∣so often teach that we are justifyed by Faith. And so for salvation, Ephes. 2.8. By grace ye are saved through faith &c. Yea Rom. 4.16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace &c. For it is of the mere grace of God, that He would make a new covenant; that omitting the ri∣gour of the Law He would require Faith for the condition of it; that we are either able or willing to beleeve, Philip. 2.13. These two therefore may very well stand together, That all who are justifyed and saved are ju∣stifyed and saved of the mere grace of God, and yet, That no man is justifyed or saved but by Faith. God doth not enter cove∣nant with us, as needing any thing that we can do unto Him. Who is in Himself All∣sufficient and Blessed from everlasting to e∣verlasting. He doth not enter covenant with us, as thereby to cut off that absolute right of creation and redemption, in regard of which He might require of us whatsoever we could performe, without making any promise to us, or covenanting thereby for our obedi∣ence. His covenant is so framed, that He commands what we are to doe, and adds a terrible threatning of death, if we doe it not,

and promises a reward as of grace and free gift, if we doe it: we tender the condition to Him from His own power, as our duty, and seek the reward by humble intreaty, that He would remember His holy covenant. So that he enters into covenant, to excite us the more willingly and cheerfully to doe Him service; not to imply that He needs to us, or that we can merit any thing at His hands.

[Obj. 2] Yea but He doth not give salvation but for the merit of Christ.

[Answ.] For answer see Vers. 3. Doctr. 3.

Uses.

For our instruction, 1 Here we see whence it is that God often plentifully bestowes up∣on wicked men the good things whereof they are most unworthy, and averts the evils which they have most justly deserved; though out of His Omnisciency He most certainly foresees their obstinacy to be such that they will not by these riches of His goodnesse be led to repentance. Hereupon some of the heathen denyed Gods providence, and some∣times holy men envy the wicked. But we may easily resist these temptations. The for∣mer (of the heathen) if we think of the grace of God, which looks at neither antecedent merit nor subsequent recompense in the be∣stowing

of good or averting of evil, and out of which He will doe good even to bad men, that He may satisfie His love to His creature, though He certainly foresee that (by reason of their contumacy) He shall not obteine his prime end of bringing them to repentance, which He seriously intends, and for which He useth sufficient meanes. The other tempta∣tion (of the saints) we may also resist 1 If we consider the same grace of God, where∣by He may doe with His own what He will (For is it not lawfull for Him so to doe? Is our eye evil, because He is good?) 2 If we consider how long He so deales with the wicked of His grace: Not for ever, but one∣ly so long as He thinks fit to expect their conversion. But if they will not be con∣verted but turne His grace into wantonnesse; the Spirit of grace, to which they doe such despite, will not alwaies strive with them, but there will be a time, when, stripping them of all good, God will cast them into eternall misery, so that it shall be manifest to all, that they are nothing lesse then the object of envy.

2 See here a just and effectuall cause of patience when either good things are wan∣ting, or evils ly upon us. If we could de∣serve, or God did any way ow us the be∣stowing

of those good things or the averting of those evils, it were another matter. But seeing He is gracious dispensing all His bene∣fits freely, why do we yet complaine as if He dealt injuriously with us? Yea rather let us set in order before our selves our many and great sinnes, and amongst the rest our ab∣using of Gods benefits; and then I dare boldly say we are very blind, if we do not see most just cause of acknowledging the great grace of God toward us, that any good at all, even our life and breath, is still continued to us, and that we are not at this very houre in hell. And further we must consider that Gods withholding temporall good things, or His sending temporall evils, do not alwaies proceed from an intention of revenge, neither are as it were forerunners of condemnation; but, that He often even of the same grace fatherly chastises us for our good, yea many times onely proves us, that His graces may be exercised and in∣creased in us, that so He may enlarge His blessings upon us in this life, and in the life to come set a more shining crown of glo∣ry upon our heads. Seeing then that the af∣flictions of both these kinds proceed from the grace of God, and are unspeakably profi∣table for us; shall we be so mad as to be

vexed at our own great good, and to be im∣patient against God for being gracious un∣to us?

3 See also a soveraigne remedy against pride and boasting of any good thing we have. For what have we that we have not received, not onely without but contrary to our merit, of the mere grace of God? And if we have so received it, why should we boast our selves as if we had not received it? Psal. 75.4, 5, 6, 7.

4 See a just reason why the Scripture so often requires of us thankfulnesse to God for all His benefits. If we did deserve them, there were no thanks due to God; as doing but that, which in justice He were bound to doe. But seeing He is gracious, dispensing His benefits freely without any desert on our part; our thanks (which would be due e∣ven to a man, that should bestow any bene∣fit upon us) must needs be most due unto Him.

This reproves 1 Such as abuse the grace of God. God indeed is gracious: But will He so give all things to all men? Indeed He is willing and ready to give unto all accor∣ding to such conditions as are agreeable to the honour of His justice; and He doth often give plentifully the things of this life and the

meanes of salvation to wicked men. But e∣ternall salvation He will not give to any (I speak of them who are adulti and have the use of reason) but onely to true beleevers, as appeares manifestly every where in Scri∣pture.

2 Them that will not reward such as by taking paines for the good of their soules, bodies, or estates, deserve it in the strict ri∣gour of justice. How unlike are these to God, Who gives His rewards to those that no way deserve them? And with what face can they expect such a reward of grace, who will not give a reward of debt?

3 Much more those who unjustly by fraud or violence take away a mans own from him, or requite evil for good.

On the other side here is again a further ground of Comfort for them who grone un∣der the burden of their sinnes, doubting of obtaining forgivenesse and salvation. If there were no remission to be had without works of satisfaction done either plenarily or in re∣spect of temporall punishments (which lat∣ter the papists affirme in the Councell of Trent Sess. 4. cap. 8, 9.) we might well in∣deed doubt of it, confidering on the one part the enormity of sinne and the infinitenesse of Gods Majesty offended thereby, and on the

other part our own weaknesse. But God is gracious, and forgives sinnes (if truly repen∣ted of according to the prescript of His Go∣spell) freely. And though He may in re∣spect of some sinnes retaine the temporall pu∣nishment (as in Moses Deut. 32.48. &c. and in David 2 Sam. 12.13, 14.) this is not, that satisfaction might be made Him (Whom Christ hath fully satisfyed) but to humble them, with whom He so deales, and make them beware for the time to come, and to admonish others by their example &c. So for salvation, if it depended upon our own merits, we might cast away all hopes and thoughts of it. But God is graci∣ous: and, by grace we are saved (Eph. 2.8) as many as are saved. Therefore if we frame our selves carefully after the rule of the Gospell, our salvation according to the covenant of grace is most certain.

Let this exhort us 1 To come to the throne of grace.

Motiv. 1. We need many things. 2 With God is all sufficiency. 3. From God sitting upon the throne of Justice (as it is contra∣distinguished to Grace) nothing can be ex∣pected by us but the wages of sinne. 4 At the throne of grace all things, which are tru∣ly good for us, may easily be obteined;

where neither merit is prerequired, nor re∣compense looked for at our hands, but God (as a debtour to no man, and standing in need of nothing) gives all things freely. 5 God not onely admits them that come, but of his own accord invites them that are slack, Heb. 4.16. Isa. 55.1.

Meanes. That is simply necessary and ab∣undantly sufficient, whereupon the Apostle grounds this exhortation in the place now quoted, Hebr. 4.16. viz. that (as it is ver. 14, 15.) we have Jesus Christ for our High Priest to make intercession for us in the Holy of Holies. To this end we must attend to Him as a Prophet teaching us, and obey Him as a King commanding us to repent and be∣leeve, and to bring forth fruits meet for re∣pentance, shewing the truth of our faith by a serious and constant endeavour of denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts &c. Tit. 2. This meanes is absolutely necessary, because God according to the prescript of His wis∣dome, for preserving the honour of His ju∣stice, hath peremptorily decreed not to give the grace of salvation unto any but such as are engraffed into Christ. And it is abundant∣ly sufficient, because Christ hath so satisfyed Gods Justice, that nothing hinders but that He may according to the naturall inclination

of His Grace most tenderly love all those who are partakers of Him, and doe good to them in all things whereof they stand in need: which that He will also doe, His promises every where, oath, seales &c. doe assure us.

2 Freely to doe good to others. To imi∣tate God here in all points we are neither bound nor able. To some men we are deb∣tours, as to our parents, creditours, benefa∣ctours &c. Many things also we our selves have need of; and therefore if we should doe all things freely without expectation of recompense, we should be destitute of ne∣cessary meanes of life. In which respect God commands that the labourer should have his wages, and that they, who preach the Go∣spell should live of the Gospell; and in like manner, that all who exercise any lawfull calling should be maintained thereby: which could not be, if a labourer should have no∣thing for his paines, and a tradesman should give away his commodities &c. But so farre as other mens necessities require, and our own abilities will beare, we ought to doe it.

Motiv. 1 To requite them that have gi∣ven to us, or to give to them who are like to requite us, is a small matter: publicanes

and sinners doe so, Mat. 5.46, 47. Luke 6.32. &c. 2 By doing good freely, viz. to them who have not deserved it, or who have deserved the contrary, we shall be the chil∣dren of our Father which is in heaven, Mat. 5.44, 45. 3 How freely soever we study to doe good to others, yet we shall not doe it freely (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 gratis) in respect of God; as Who both hath already abun∣dantly deserved of us; and will also plenti∣fully recompense unto us whatsoever we doe for His sake, Mat. 10.42. Luke 6.35. & 14.12, 13, 14.

Notes

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