Part 22

1. The justice of God, as giving rewards to his creatures; this he may be said to do, without supposing the persons, who are the subjects thereof, to have done any thing by which they have merited them: we often find, in scripture, that the heavenly glory is set forth as a reward, Mat. x. 41, 42. and 1 Cor. iii. 14. and it is called, _a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give at that day_, 2 Tim. iv. 8. to wit, when he appears, in the glory of his justice, to judge the world in righteousness; and it is also said, that it is _a righteous thing with God to recompense to his people who are troubled, rest, when the Lord shall be revealed from heaven_, 2 Thess. i. 6. 7. But, for the understanding such like expressions, I humbly conceive, that they import the necessary and inseparable connexion that there is between grace wrought in us, and glory conferred upon us: it is called, indeed, a reward, or a crown of righteousness, to encourage us to duty; but, without supposing that, what we do has any thing meritorious in it. If we ourselves are less than the least of all God’s mercies, then the best actions put forth by us must be so, for the action cannot have more honour ascribed to it than the agent; or if, as our Saviour says, when _we have done all, we must say, we are unprofitable servants_, Luke xvii. 10. and that sincerely, and not in a way of compliment, as some Popish writers understand it, consistently with their doctrine of the merit of good works, we must conclude that it is a reward not of debt, but of grace; and therefore the word is taken in a less proper sense. It is not a bestowing a blessing purchased by us, but for us; Christ is the purchaser, we are the receivers; it is strictly and properly the reward of his merit, but, in its application, the gift of his grace.

2. There is his vindictive justice, whereby he punishes sin, as an injury offered to his divine perfections, an affront to his sovereignty, a reflection on his holiness, and a violation of his law, for which he demands satisfaction, and inflicts punishment, proportioned to the nature of the crime, which he continues to do, till satisfaction be given: this is called, _his visiting iniquity_, Deut. v. 9. or _visiting for it_, Jer. v. 9. and it is also called, his _setting his face against_ a person, and _cutting him off from amongst his people_, Lev. xvii. 10. and when he does this, his wrath is compared to flames of fire; it is called, _The fire of his jealousy_, Zeph. i. 18. and they, who are the objects hereof, are said to _fall into the hands of the living God_, who is a _consuming fire_, Heb. x. 31. compared with chap. xii. 29.

But that we may farther consider how God glorifies this perfection, and thereby shews his infinite hatred of sin, we may observe,

(1.) An eminent instance thereof in his inflicting that punishment that was due to our sins, on the person of Christ our Surety. It was, indeed, the highest act of condescending grace that he was willing to be charged with, or to have the iniquity of his people laid upon him; but it was the greatest display of vindictive justice, that he was accordingly punished for it, as _he is said to be made sin for us, who knew no sin_, 2 Cor. v. 21. and accordingly God gives a commission to the sword of his justice, to awake and exert itself, in an uncommon manner, against him, _the man his fellow_, Zech. xiii. 7. In this instance, satisfaction is not only demanded, but fully given, in which it differs from all the other displays of vindictive justice; but of this, more will be considered under some following answers.[60]

(2.) The vindictive justice of God punishes sin in the persons of finally impenitent sinners in hell, where a demand of satisfaction is perpetually made, but can never be given, which is the reason of the eternity of the punishment inflicted, which is called, _everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power_, 2 Thes. i. 9. this we shall also have occasion to insist on more largely, under a following an answer.[61]

In these two instances, punishment is taken in a strict and proper sense: but there is, indeed, another sense, in which many evils are inflicted for sins committed, which, though frequently called punishments, yet the word is taken in a less proper sense, to wit, when believers, who are justified upon the account of the satisfaction which Christ has given for their sins, are said to be punished for them; as when it is said, _Thou, our God, hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve_, Ezra ix. 13. and _if his children forsake my law, and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him_, Psal. lxxxix. 30-31. and the prophet, speaking of some, for whom God would execute judgment, and be favourable to them in the end, so that they should behold his righteousness; yet he represents them, as _bearing the indignation of the Lord, because they had sinned against him_, Micah vii. 9. And, as these evils are exceedingly afflictive, being oftentimes attended with a sad apprehension and fear of the wrath of God; so they are called punishments, because sin is the cause of them: yet they differ from punishment in its most proper sense, as but now mentioned, in that, though justice inflicts evils on them for sin, yet it doth not herein demand satisfaction, for that is supposed to have been given, inasmuch as they are considered as justified; and, to speak with reverence, it is not agreeable to the nature of justice to demand satisfaction twice. Nevertheless, it is one thing for God really to demand it, and another thing for believers to apprehend or conclude that such a demand is made; this they may often do, as questioning whether they are believers, or in a justified state: however, God’s design, in these afflictive dispensations, is to humble them greatly, and shew them the demerit of sin, whatever he determines shall be the consequence thereof.

Moreover, the persons, who are the subjects of this punishment, are considered not as enemies, but as children, and therefore the objects of his love, at the same time that his hand is heavy upon them; for which reason some have called them castigatory punishments, agreeably to what the apostle saith, _Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth_; and that herein _he dealeth with them as with sons_, Heb. xii. 6, 7.

From what has been said, concerning the justice of God in rewarding or punishing, we may infer,

1. Since the heavenly blessedness is called a reward, to denote its connexion with grace and duty, let no one presumptuously expect one without the other: the crown is not to be put upon the head of any one, but him that runs the Christian race; and it is a certain truth, that _without holiness no man shall see the Lord_, chap. xii. 14.

And, on the other hand, as this is a reward of grace, founded on Christ’s purchase, let us take heed that we do not ascribe that to our performances, which is wholly founded on Christ’s merit. Let every thing that may be reckoned a spur to diligence, in the idea of a reward, be apprehended and improved by us, to quicken and excite us to duty; but whatever there is of praise and glory therein, let that be ascribed to Christ; so that when we consider the heavenly blessedness in this view, let us say, as the angels, together with that blessed company who are joined with them, are represented, speaking, _Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing_, Rev. v. 12. It is the price that he paid which gives it the character of a reward and therefore the glory of it is to be ascribed to him.

2. From what has been said concerning the vindictive justice of God inflicting punishments on his enemies, let us learn the evil and heinous nature of sin, and so take warning thereby, that we may not expose ourselves to the same or like judgments. How deplorable is the condition of those, who have contracted a debt for which they can never satisfy! who are said, _to drink of the wrath of the Almighty, which is poured out, without mixture, into the cup of his indignation_, Job xxi. 20. compared with Rev. xiv. 10. This should induce us to fly from the wrath to come, and to make a right improvement of the price of redemption which was given by Christ, to deliver his people from it.

3. Believers, who are delivered from the vindictive justice of God, have the highest reason for thankfulness; and it is a very great encouragement to them, under all the afflictive evils, which they endure, that the most bitter ingredients are taken out of them. It is true, they are not in themselves _joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterwards they yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them, who are exercised thereby_, Heb. xii. 11. and let us not presume without ground, but give diligence, that we may conclude that these are the dispensations of a reconciled Father, who _corrects with judgment not in anger, lest he should bring us to nothing_, Jer. x. 24. It will afford great matter of comfort, if we can say, that he is, at the same time, _a just God, and a Saviour_, Isa. xlv. 21. and, as one observes, though he punishes for sin, yet it is not with the punishment of sin.

XIV. God is most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness, all which perfections are mentioned together in Exod. xxxiv. 7. and we shall first consider his goodness, which, in some respects, includes the other, though in others it is distinguished from them, as will be more particularly observed. This being one of his communicable perfections, we may conceive of it, by comparing it with that goodness which is in the creature, while we separate from it all the imperfections thereof, by which means we may arrive to some idea of it.

Therefore persons are denominated good, as having all those perfections that belong to their nature, which is the most large and extensive sense of goodness; or else it is taken in a moral sense, and so it consists in the rectitude of their nature, as we call a holy man a good man; or lastly, it is taken for one who is beneficent, or communicatively good, and so it is the same with benignity. Now to apply this to the goodness of God, it either includes in it all his perfections, or his holiness in particular, or else his being disposed to impart or communicate those blessings to his creatures, that they stand in need of, in which sense we are here to understand it as distinguished from his other perfections.

This goodness of God supposes that he has, in himself, an infinite and inexhaustible treasure of all blessedness, enough to fill all things, and to make his creatures completely happy. This he had from all eternity, before there was any object in which it might be displayed, or any act of power put forth to produce one. It is this the Psalmist intends, when he says, Psal. cxix. 68. _Thou art good_, and when he adds, _thou doest good_; as the former implies his being good in himself, the latter denotes his being so to his creatures.

Before we treat of this perfection in particular, we shall observe the difference that there is between goodness, mercy, grace, and patience, which, though they all are included in the divine benignity, and imply in them the communication of some favours that tend to the creatures advantage, as well as the glory of God, yet they may be distinguished with respect to the objects thereof: thus goodness considers its object, as indigent and destitute of all things, and so it communicates those blessings that it stands in need of. Mercy considers its object as miserable, therefore, though an innocent creature be the object of the divine bounty and goodness, it is only a fallen, miserable, and undone creature, that is an object of compassion. And grace is mercy displayed freely, therefore its object is considered not only as miserable, but unworthy; however, though the sinner’s misery, and worthiness of pity, may be distinguished, these two ideas cannot be separated, inasmuch as that which renders him miserable, denominates him at the same time guilty, since misery is inseparably connected with guilt, and no one is miserable as a creature, but as a sinner; therefore we are considered as unworthy of mercy, and so the objects of divine grace, which is mercy extended freely, to those who have rendered themselves unworthy of it. And patience, or long-suffering, is the suspending deserved fury, or the continuing to bestow undeserved favours, a lengthening out of our tranquillity; these attributes are to be considered in particular. And,

1. Of the goodness of God. As God was infinite in power from all eternity, before there was any display thereof, or act of omnipotency put forth; he was eternally good, before there was any communication of his bounty, or any creature, to which it might be imparted; so that the first display of this perfection was in giving being to all things, which were the objects of his bounty and goodness, as well as the effects of his power; and all the excellencies, or advantages, which one creature hath above another, are as so many streams flowing from this fountain, _He giveth to all, life and breath, and all things_, Acts xvii. 25.[62]

2. The mercy of God, which considers its object as miserable, is illustrated by all those distressing circumstances, that render sinners the objects of compassion. Are all, by nature, bond-slaves to sin and Satan? It is mercy that sets them free, _delivers them, who, through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage_, Heb. ii. 15. Are we all, by nature, dead in sin, unable to do what is spiritually good, alienated from the life of God? Was our condition miserable, as being without God in the world, and without hope: like the poor infant, mentioned by the prophet, _cast out in the open field, to the loathing of our persons, whom no eye pitied?_ it was mercy that _said to us, live_, Ezek. xvi. 4, 5, 6. accordingly God is said _to have remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever_, Psal. cxxxvi. 23.

The mercy of God is either common or special; common mercy gives all the outward conveniencies of this life, which are bestowed without distinction; as _he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust_, Matth. v. 45. so it is said, _his tender mercies are over all his works_, Psal. cxlv. 9. but his special mercy is that which he bestows on, or has reserved for the heirs of salvation, which he communicates to them in a covenant way, in and through a Mediator; so the apostle speaks of _God, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort_, 2 Cor. i. 3.

3. As God is said to be merciful, or to extend compassion to the miserable, so he doth this freely, and accordingly is said to be gracious; and as grace is free, so it is sovereign, and bestowed in a discriminating way; that is given to one which he denies to another, and only because it is his pleasure: thus says one of Christ’s disciples, _Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?_ John xiv. 22. And our Saviour himself glorifies God for the display of his grace, in such a way, when he says, _I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes_; and considers this as the result of his sovereign will, when he adds, _even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight_, Matth. xi. 25, 26. Now the discriminating grace of God appears in several instances; as,

(1.) In that he should extend salvation to men, rather than to fallen angels; so our Saviour _took not on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham_, because he designed to save the one, and to reserve the other, _in chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day_, Heb. ii. 16. compared with Jude ver. 6. And among men, only some are made partakers of this invaluable blessing, which all were equally unworthy of; and their number is comparatively very small, therefore they are called a _little flock_, and _the gate_, through which they enter, _is strait_, and _the way narrow that leads to life, and few there be that find it_, Luke xii. 32. compared with Matth. vii. 13, 14. And there are many who make a considerable figure in the world, for riches, honours, great natural abilities, bestowed by common providence, that are destitute of special grace, while others, who are poor, and despised in the world, are called, and saved; the apostle observed it to be so in his day, when he says, _not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, things that are not, to bring to nought things that are_, 1 Cor. i. 26, 27, 28.

(2.) In several things relating to the internal means, whereby he fits and disposes men for salvation: thus the work of conversion is an eminent instance of discriminating grace, for herein he breaks through, and overcomes, that reluctancy and opposition, which corrupt nature makes against it; subdues the enmity and rebellion that was in the heart of man, works a powerful change in the will, whereby he subjects it to himself, which work is contrary to the natural biass and inclination thereof; and that which renders this grace more illustrious, is, that many of those who are thus converted, were, before this, notorious sinners; some have been _blasphemers, persecutors, and injurious_, as the apostle says concerning himself before his conversion, and concludes himself to have been _the chief of sinners_; and tells us, how he _shut up many of the saints in prison_, and, when they were put to death, _he gave his voice against them; punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme, and, being exceedingly against them, persecuted them unto strange cities_, 1 Tim. i. 13, 15. compared with Acts xxvi. 10, 11. But you will say, he was, in other respects, a moral man; therefore he gives an instance elsewhere of some who were far otherwise, whom he puts in mind of their having been _fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners; such_, says he, _were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified_. Moreover, the change wrought in the soul is unasked for, and so it may truly be said, God is found of them that sought him not; and undesired; for though unregenerate sinners desire to be delivered from misery, they are far from desiring to be delivered from sin, or to have repentance, faith, and holiness: if they pray for these blessings, it is in such a manner, that the Spirit of God hardly calls it prayer; for the Spirit of grace, and of supplications, by which alone we are enabled to pray in a right manner, is what accompanies or flows from conversion; if therefore God bestows this privilege on persons so unworthy of it, and so averse to it, it must certainly be an instance of sovereign and discriminating grace.

(3.) This will farther appear, if we consider how much they, who are the objects thereof, differ from what they were; or if we compare their present, with their former state. Once they were blind and ignorant of the ways of God, and going astray in crooked paths; the apostle speaks of this in the abstract, _Ye were sometimes darkness_, Eph. v. 8. and that _the god of this world, had blinded the minds of some, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them_, 2 Cor. iv. 4. but now they are made _light in the Lord_, and brought into the way of truth and peace. Their hearts were once impenitent, unrelenting, and inclined to sin, without remorse, or self-reflection; nothing could make an impression on them, as being _past feeling, and giving themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness_, Eph. iv. 19. but now they are penitent, humble, relenting, and broken under a sense of sin, afraid of every thing that may be an occasion thereof, willing to be reproved for it, and desirous to be set at a greater distance from it. Once they were destitute of hope, or solid peace of conscience; but now they have hope and joy in believing, and are delivered from that bondage, which they were, before this, exposed to; such a happy turn is given to the frame of their spirits: and as to the external and relative change which is made in their state, there is no condemnation to them, as justified persons; and therefore they who, before this, were in the utmost distress, expecting nothing but hell and destruction, are enabled to lift up their heads with joy, experiencing the blessed fruits and effects of this grace in their own souls.

(4.) The discriminating grace of God farther appears, in that he bestows these saving blessings on his people, at such seasons, when they appear most suitable, and adapted to their condition; as he is a very present help in a time of trouble, when their straits and difficulties are greatest, then is his time to send relief; when sinners sometimes have wearied themselves in the greatness of their way, while seeking rest and happiness in other things below himself, and have met with nothing but disappointment therein; when they are brought to the utmost extremity, then he appears in their behalf. And so with respect to believers, when their comforts are at the lowest ebb, their hope almost degenerated into despair, their temptations most prevalent and afflicting, and they ready to sink under the weight that lies on their spirits, when, as the Psalmist says, their _hearts are overwhelmed within them; then he leads them to the rock that is higher than they_, Psal. lxi. 2. when they are even _desolate and afflicted, and the troubles of their hearts are enlarged, then he brings them out of their distresses_, Psal. xxv. 16, 17.

Thus the grace of God eminently appears, in what he bestows on his people; but if we look forward, and consider what he has prepared for them, or the hope that is laid up in heaven, then we may behold the most amazing displays of grace, in which they who shall be the happy objects thereof, will be a wonder to themselves, and will see more of the glory of it than can be now expressed in words; as the Psalmist says, in a way of admiration, _Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!_ Psal. xxx. 19.

_Object._ 1. If it be objected, that the afflictions, which God’s people are exposed to in this life, are inconsistent with the glory of his grace and mercy.

_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that afflictive providences are so far from being inconsistent with the glory of these perfections, that they tend to illustrate them the more. For since sin has rendered afflictions needful, as an expedient, to humble us for it, and also to prevent it for the future, so God designs our advantage thereby; and however grievous they are, yet since they are so over-ruled by him, as the apostle says, that they _yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them, who are exercised thereby_, Heb. xii. 11. they are far from being inconsistent with the mercy and grace of God.