Chap. 3 3. An Expoition upon the Bookof J o a. Verf. 24. 3.93 Further,This HebrewwordC'hinnam anfwers the Greek word ( dbpedá) rendred freely (Rom. 3. 24.) we are jufhfied freely r4Pe: by his grace, through the redemption that is in fefus Chriff. , 1:10,7. Gratis Howcan un ufl men deferve utlification ? Therefore Mr Bez at'' e. hie rr era- J J t¡a. Bez: trantlates, We are juiifiedgratis, that is, by hisgrace. Againe, When it is faid, thenhe (or, the Lord) isgracious, it may be taken twowayes.Firl,as,tobe gracious implyeth the in- trinfecall gracioufneis ofhis nature,or that merciful(nets and kind- refs which dwells in the heart of God, and which indeed is God , ( for the gracioufne(le of God is the gracious God) thus God is alwayes and altogethergracious, he is infinitely and unceffantly gracious. Secondly, when it is faid, he isgracious, it may note on- ly the gracioufnefs of hisa&s, and difpenfations ; thus, as I may fay, the Lord is gracious (de/ kin. et nu rc) ashe fees caufe, at this timehe is gracious andnot at that time ; that is,he puts forth a&s of grace now,and not then.The Lord puts forth a&sof grace, both according to the pleafure ofhis ownwill,without refpe6 to any thing in man, as alto without refile&ingwhat man is or doth, according to his pleafure. And thus we are chieflyto underftand it here ; thenhe is gracious. Godis gracious inhis nature alwayes, and alwayes alike gracious ; but he is not alwayes alike gracious in his difpenfations, or in giving forth a&s of grace ; he is graci- ous to man according tohis fecret will as he pleafeth, but he is gracious accordingto hisrevealedwill as manpleafethhim. Hence Obferve, firf}. The farff caufe andfpring ofall our mercies is the graciaufnefJe ofGod. Or, all our mercyes flow ant from thegrace of God. That's the fountaine, yea that's the Oceanwhich feeds and fills all the Channels of mercy, which f}ream to us, as our happinefs in this world, and for our everla(ling happinefs in the world which is to come. All is ofgrace fundamentally, or becaufe the Lord is and will be for ever gracious. Thus the Lord fpake toMofes ( Erod. 33.19, ) f will be gracious to Whom 1 will begracious. My mercy thall flow out, when,and towhom,and where I pleafe. And the proclamationwhich he made of himfelfe in all his royal! Titles runs in the fame ftraine (Erod. 34. 6.) The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull, and gracious, long-fuf fersng, and aboundant in E e e good-
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