fith. God's justice is such that it is not fit for any man or angel to expostulate with God, or depjand a reason of his actions. God hath not only authority on his side, but equity. He lays " judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet," Isa. xxviii. 17.; and it is below him to give an account to us of his proceedings. Which of these two is fittest to take place, — God's justice, or man's reason ? Rom. ix. 20., " Who art thou, O man ! that re- pliest against God ?" , The plumb-line of our reason is too short to fathom the depth of God's justice, Rom. xi. 33., " How un- searchable are his judgments !" AVe are to adore God's justice, M'hcre we cannot see a reason of it.
Now God's justice runs in two channels. It is seen in two things, the distribution of rewards and punishments.
1. In rewarding the virtuous: Ps. Iviii. 11., " Verily there is a reward for the righteous !" The saints shall not serve him for nought, he will reward praccs ct lach- rymas ; though they may be losers for
64
OF GOD'S JUSTICE.
him, they sliall not be losers by him, Ilcb. vi. 10., " God is not unriglitcous to forget your work and hibour of love, whicli ye have shewed toward his name." He gives a reward, not that we have deserved it, but because he hath promised it.
2. He is just in punishing offenders. And he is just, 1. Because he punisheth sinners by a law. " Where there is no law there is no transgression," Rom. iv. 15. But God hath given men a law, and they break it, therefore he punisheth them just- ly.— 2. God is just in punishing the wick- ed; because he never punished them, but upon full proof and evidence. What great- er evidence tlian for a man's own con- science to be witness against him ? There is nothing God chargcth upon a sinner, but conscience dotli set seal to the truth of it.
Use 1st. See here another flower of God's crown; he is just and righteous; he is the exemplar and pattern of justice.
Ob J. But how doth it seem to stand with God's justice, that the ivicked shoidd prosper in the icorid? Prov. xii. 1., " Wherefore doth the tcoy of the ivicked prosper f
This hath been a great stumbling, and been ready to make many question God's justice. Such as ai'e highest in sin, are highest in power. Diogenes seeing Har- palus a thief go on prosperously, said, " Sure God hath cast off the government of the world, and mindcth not how things go on here below !"
Ans. 1. The wicked may be sometimes instruments to do God's work ; though they do not design his glory, yet they may promote it. Cyrus (Ezra i. 7.) was instru- mental in the buihllug of God's temple in Jerusalem. Tlure is some kind of justice, that they should have a temporal reward ; God lets them prosper, under whose wing his people are sheltered. God will not be in any man's debt: Mai. i. 10., "Do ye kindle a fire on niiue altar for nouoht ?"
A. 2. (lod lets men go on in sin, and prosper, that he may leave them more in- excusable, Rev. ii. 21., "I gave her space to repent of her fornication." God ad- journs the sessions, spins out his mercies towards sinners ; and if they repent not, his patience will be a witness against them,
and his justice will be more cleared in their condemnation, Ps. li. 4., " That thou mights est be justified when thou spcakest, and bo clear when thou judgest."
A. 3. God doth not always let the wick- ed prosper in their sin ; some he doth pun- ish openly, that his justice may be taken notice of, Ps. ix. 16., " The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth :" that is, his justice is seen by striking men dead in the very act of sin. Thus he struck Zimri and Cozbi in the act of uncleanness.
A. 4. If God do let men prosper a Avliile in their sin, his vial of wrath is all this while filling, his sword is all this time whet- ting, and though God may forbear men a while, yet long forbearance is no forgive- ness. The longer God is in taking his blow, the heavier it will be at last : as long as there is eternity, God hath time enough to reckon with his enemies. — Justice may be as a lion asleep, but at last this lion will awake, and roar upon the sinner. Do not Nero, and Julian, and Cain, now meet with God's justice?
Obj. But Gods own people suffer great afflictions ; they are injured and persecuted, Ps. Ixxiii. 14., " All the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning." How doth this stand with Gods justice ?