Use 2d. See the dltfeience between God and a great part of tlic world. They are unjust, 1. In their com ts of judicature; they pervert justice, Is.a. x. 1., "They decree un- righteous decrees." The Ilebix'w word for a judge's robe, signifies prevarication, de- ceit, or injustice: it is oftener true of the judge than of the robe; the judge deserves rather to have that name than the robe. What is a good law, without a good judge ? Injustice lies in two things, either not to punish where there is a fault, or, to punish u'here there is no fault; how frequent!' Again, 2. Unjust in their dealings. This is (1.) Either in using false weights, IIos. xii. 7., " The balances of deceit are in his hand." It is sad, to have the Bible in one hand, and false weights in the other. Or, ( .) In a- dulterating commodities, Isa. i. 22., " Tliy wine is mixed with water ;" when tliry mix bad grain with good, yet sell it for pure grain. I can never believe he is good in the first table, who is not good in the second. He cannot be godly who is not just. Though God doth not hid you be omnipotent, as he is, yet he bids you be just, as he is.
Use 3d. Imitate God in justice. Let Christ's gfildcn maxim be observed^ Matt, vii. 12., " What you would have men to do
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THE MERCY OF GOD.
to you, do ye even so to them." You would not have them wrong you, neither do you them ; rather suffer wrong than do wrong, 1 Cor. vi. T., " Wliy do ye not rather take wrono-?" O be exemplary for justice ! Let lustice he your ornament ! Job xxix. 14., " I put on righteousness (viz. justice) as a robe and a diadem." A robe for its grace- ful beauty ; and I put it on, — et indueham justitiam. A judge puts on his robe, and puts it off again at night ; but Job did so put on justice, as he did not put it off till death, — semper vest'di. We must not lay off this robe of justice till we lay down our ta- bernacle. If you have any thing of God in you you will be like him. By every un- just iiction you do deny yourselves to be Christians, you stain the glory of your pro- fession; heathens will rise up in judgment against you ; the sun might sooner alter his course than God could be tui-ned from do- ing justice.
Use 4th. If God be just, there will be a day of judgment. Now things are out of course ; sin is rampant, saints are wronged, they are often cast in a righteous cause, they can meet with no justice here, justice is turned into wormwood ; but there is a day coming, when God will set things right, he will do every man justice, he will
crown the righteous, and condemn the wick- ed. Acts xvii. 31., " He hath appointed a day," &c. If God be a just God, he will take vengeance. God hath given men a law to live by, — they break it ; there must be a day for the execution of offenders ; a law not executed, is but like a wooden dag- ger, for a shew. At the last day God's sword shall be drawn out against offenders ; then his justice shall be revealed before all the world, " God will judge in righteous- ness," Acts xvii. 31. " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?" Gen, xviii. 25. The Avicked shall drink a sea of wrath, but not sip one drop of injustice. At that day shall all mouths be stopt, and God's justice shall be fully vindicated from all the cavils and clamours of unjust men.
Use 5th. Comfort to the true penitent ; as God is a just God, he will pardon him. Ilortio ognoscit, Dcus ignuscit. 1 John i. 9., " If we confess our sins, (i. e. confess and forsake), he is just to foi'give us our sins." Not only merciful but just. Why just?* Because he hath promised to forgive such? Prov. xxviii. 13. If thy heart hath been broken for and from sin, thou mayest not only plead God's mercy, but his justice for the pardoning thy sin. Sliew him his hand and seal, he cannot deny himself.
THE MERCY OF GOD.
THE next attribute is God's goodness or I mercy. Mercy is the result and efl'ect of I God's goodness, Ps. xxxiii. 5. Ps. cxix. 64. So then this is the next attribute, God's goodness or mercy. The most learned of the heathens thought they gave their God, Jupiter, two golden characters when they styled him Good and Great; both these meet in (lod, Goodness and Greatness, — majesty and mercy.
God is, 1. Essentially good in himself. And 2. Relatively good to us. They are both put together, Ps. cxix. 68., " Thou art good, and doest good." This relative goodness is nothing else but his mercy, which is an in- nate propenseness in God to pity and suc- coui- such as are In misery. Concerning God's mercy