Leigh:

So much in general of God’s virtues.
Secondly, in special, the virtues which imply not imperfection in the reasonable creature, are attributed to God.

The principal of which are,

1, Bounty or graciousness, by which God shows favor to the creatures freely, and that either commonly or specially: 1 Commonly, when he exercises beneficence and liberality toward all creatures, pouring upon them plentifully all goods of nature, body, mind and fortune, so that there is nothing which tastes not of the inexhausted fountain of his blessing and goodness, Matth. 5:44, 45. Psal. 36: 5, 6. God’s bounty is a will in him to bestow store of comfort and beneficial things on the creature of this kind. This bounty he shows to all things in the creation, even to all Spirits, all men and all creatures, and does in great part show still, for he opens his hand, and fills every living thing with his bounty, and gives all things richly to enjoy.

2. Specially toward the church, by which he bestows eternal life on certain men fallen by sin, and redeemed by Christ, Titus 2:11. And 3:4. As this is exercised toward the whole church, so in a special manner toward some members of it, as toward Enoch, Moses, Jacob, Paul, and especially Abraham, who is therefore often called The friend of God; he made with him and his seed a perpetual league of friendship, and he constantly kept his laws and statutes, John 15: 14, 15.

God’s Graciousness is an essential property, whereby he is in and of himself most gracious and amiable, Psal 145:8. God is only gracious in and of himself, and whatsoever is amiable and gracious is so from him.

God’s Graciousness is that awhereby he is truly amiable in himself, and freely bountiful unto his creatures, cherishing them tenderly without any desert of theirs, Psal. 86:15. and 111:5. Gen 43:29. Pelagius taught, that grace is given to men in respect to their merits, Gratia Dei datur secondum merita nostra, he said that God’s will had respect to the merits foreseen, so this Pelagius was condemned for an Heretic in three Synods. St. Austin refuted this error, and referred the matter to God’s will and purpose only. B Carleton against Mountagne, Ch. 3. Vide Bellarm. De Gratia & lib. Arbitrol. 6.c.4,5,6. John Scotus was the greatest Pelagian that in his time; for it was he that brought in the doctrine of meritum ex congruo, he teaches that Faith, Charity, Repentance, may be had ex puris naturalibus, which some of the most learned Papists do confess to be the true Doctrine of Pelagius, Vide Bellarminum de Gratia & libero arbitrio 1.6.c.2. [marginal reference in Latin: a Gratia in seipso est amabilis, siteque creatura favet & bene facit, unde hoc respecta gratia Dei est favoir quo creaturas suas & imprimis homines prosequitur. Wendelinus.]

God is gracious to all, Psal. 145:8,9,10. But especially to such whom he does respect in his well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Exod. 22:19. Isa. 30:19. Luke 1:30. Gen. 6:8. 1 Cor. 15:10. God’s free favour is the cause of our salvation, and of all the means tending thereunto, Rom. 3:24 and 5:15, 16. Ephes. 1:5,6. and 2:4. Rom. 9:16. Titus 3:5. Heb. 4:16. Rom. 6:23. I Cor. 2:4,9. The gospel sets forth the freeness, fulness, and the powerfulness of God’s grace to his Church, therefore it is called The word of his grace, Acts 14:3. and 20:32. The Gospel is the grace of God, Acts 20:24. Deus expandit gratia immensum Calum, Luther.

God’s Graciousness is firm and unchangeable, so that those which are once beloved can never be rejected, or utterly cast off, Psal. 77:10. [Marginal Reference: The Arminians speak much of God’s offering mercy, all giving Christ and faith, is with them, but an offering of Christ and faith, if we will receive them. God does not only conditionally offer them, upon such performances of ours, but actually givens them to his people, 2 Pet. 1:5. And he gives them absolutely, he sees no loveliness in us to invite him thereunto.]

God bestows, 1. Good things. 2. Freely. 3. Plentifully, Psal. 111:4. 4 In a special manner he is gracious to the godly.

Love is 1. Grounded often in something which may deserve it; the grace of God is that love of which is altogether free. 2. Grace is a kind of love as flows from a superior to an inferior; love may be in inferiors toward their superiors.

We should be also liberal in our services toward God, in our prayers and good works.

We should desire and strive to obtain the grace and favor of God, David often called on God to cause his face to shone upon him, and to lift up the light of his countenance upon him. The holy Patriarchs often desired to find grace in the eyes of the Lord. It is better then life to him that has it; it is the most satisfying content in the world, to have the soul firmly settled in the apprehension of God’s goodness to him in Christ. It will comfort and stablish the soul in the want of all outward things, in the very hour of death. 2. It is attainable, Those that seek God’s face shall find him.

The means of purchasing God’s favor:

1. Take notice that your sins have worthily deprived you of his favour, and press these thoughts upon you till you feel your misery; meditate on the law to show that your cursedness.

2. Consider the gracious promises of the Gospel, and see the grace of God in Christ. His grace was exceeding abundant, says the Apostle.

3.Confess and bewail your sins, with a full purpose of amendment, and cry to God for grace in Christ.

4. This stays our hearts, when we apprehend our own unworthiness; God is gracious, and shows mercy to the undeserving, the ill-deserving. 2. We should acknowledge that all grace in us does come from him the fountain of grace and should go boldly to the throne of grace, and beg Grace be unto you. The Apostle, Ephes. 1:3. and so on, speaks of Redemption, Vocation, Justification Glorification, And all this, says he, is to the praise of his glory, and 12:14. Verses, we should give God the praise of all: He is the first cause, and the last end. The Arminians will seem to say, That all comes from grace, and that faith is the grace of God, but they will say it is a power given to all, and that God has done alike to all, only some improve the power and reason and will better then others, without any special discriminating grace from God: then God is not the first cause, that, I believe it is the free working of God within me. We should take heed of encouraging ourselves in sin, because God is gracious; this is to turn God’s grace into wantonness. We should frequent the Ordinances where God is graciously present, and ready to bestow all his graces on us: the word begets grace, prayer increases it, and the Sacraments seal it.

Edward Leigh, A System or Body of Divinity, (Printed by William Lee, at the Sign of the Turk’s-head in Fleet-street over against Fetter-lane, 1654), 175-176

Rollock:

Next, faith, whereby we receive the promise of the Faith covenant, which is offered unto us in Christ, is of the mere grace of God. Philip, i. 29, For unto you it is given for Christ, not only to believe, but also to suffer for him. Hence it followeth that faith is the free gift of God. That former grace may be called the grace of our vocation; this grace is common to all that are called, elect and reprobate. But the latter grace in our effectual calling may be called the grace of faith, appertaining only to the elect ; for it is given only to those that are predestinated to life everlasting to believe. Under the grace of faith I likewise comprehend the grace of hope and of repentance as being subaltern graces, and comprehended under this argument of our effectual calling.

Robert Rollock, “Treastise on God’s Effectual Calling,” in Select Works, 1:269.

a’ Brakel:

Goodness is the very opposite of harshness, cruelty, gruffness, severity, mercilessness–all of which are far removed from God. How unbecoming it is to have such thoughts about God! Such sinful emotions are found in man. The goodness of God, on the contrary, is the loveliness, benign character, sweetness, friendliness, kindness, and generosity of God. Goodness is the very essence of God’s being, even if there were no creature to whom this could be manifested. “The good LORD pardon every one” (2 Chr.30:18); “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will He teach sinners in the way” (Psa. 25:B); “There is none good but one, that is, God” (Mat. 19:17).

From this goodness issues forth lovingkindness and an inclination to bless His creatures. This is to the astonishment of all who take note of this, which explains why David exclaims twenty-six times in Ps. 136, “For His Mercy endureth for ever.” In the following texts we read likewise. “Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy” (Psa. 62:12); “All the paths of the LORD are mercy” (Psa. 25:l0). From goodness and benevolence issues forth the doing of that which is good. “Thou art good, and doest good” (Psa. 119:68); “Rejoice the soul of Thy servant: and attend unto the voice of my supplications. For Thou Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee” (Psa. 86:4, 6, 5).

Thisgoodness is of a general nature in reference to all God’s creatures, since they are His creatures. “The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all is works” (Psa. 145:9); “The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD” (Psa. 33:5); “For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Mat. 5:45). The goodness which is of a special or particular nature as it relates to God’s children is thus expressed: ‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as arc of a clean heart” (Psa. 73:l); “The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him” (Lam. 3:25). This goodness of God is the reason why a believer, even after many backslidings, is motivated by renewal to return unto the Lord. “The children of Israel shall return… and shall fear the LORD and His goodness” (Hosea 3:5); “But I have trusted in Thy mercy” (Psa. 13:5). This is why they call the Lord “the God of my mercy” (Psa. 59:10, 17). In this goodness they rejoice and this goodness they magnify. “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever” (Psa. 89:l); “Praise ye the LORD. 0 give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever” (Psa. 106:l).

Wilhemus a’ Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, trans., by Bartel Elshout, (Ligonier, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publ., 1992) 1:122-123.

De Superville

The impatient voyager who complains of the length of its course, never thinks of the many cities and inhabitants, who, situated on the borders of this river, derive benefit from that which is tedious to him. The man who complains that God hides himself and retards his promises, overlooks the beneficial consequences of these delays of providence which often promote the good of the human race. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, (as some men count slackness) but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” While the, providence of God is sketching out his great designs, and proceeding slowly to the accomplishment of his general promises; it executes, in the course of its arch, numberless particular designs of immense advantage. He assembles the number of the elect, conducts every one of them gradually forwards to perfection, completes the church, and displays his mercy and patience towards all mankind.

Daniel de Superville, Sermons, (London: Printed for Burton and Briggs, 1816), 20.

Credit to Tony.