[3] That law is just and righteous, the violation of which men judge to be justly punished. I use this argument because under punishment men are serious, for it rubbeth up and reviveth the sense of a divine power. Now, for the violation of this law God hath judged persons, families, nations, and kingdoms, and conscience is sensible of the justice of God's judgments exercised upon them. God is clear when he judgeth, Ps. li. 4 ; his eminent judgments carry light and conviction with them; and wherefore have his judgments been executed ? Eom. i. 18, ' For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness ;' Heb. ii. 2, ' Every transgression and dis- obedience received a just recompense of reward.' There is a fear after some notorious breach, even in those that are not acquainted with God, a, shyness of his presence, ever since Adam run to the bushes ; so it is.
4C)0 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLV-
All which doth seal the righteousness and trutli of this law, and how justly God may reckon with us about it.
[4.] There is an intrinsical righteousness in all the duties com- manded in God's law. Besides the will of the lawgiver, there is a justice in the things themselves. By what measure will we take justice ? We usually understand it to be to give every one his due. So doth the law, it commandeth us to give God his due and man his due. Love is irX'tjpco/Ma vofiov, the fulfilling of the law. The law is comprised in one word, ' love;' to love God, himself, and his neigh- bour. Is there not justice in all this? The natural relation we have to God calleth for love to him ; for he made us, and is the strength of our lives, and the length of our days : Deut. xxx. 20, ' That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave to him ; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days.' Self-love and self-preservation, if that be not a natural principle, nothing is. Our neighbours we are bound to love, because of consanguinity ; they are our own flesh and blood, and God hath bidden us do to them as we would to ourselves : Mat. vii. 12, ' Therefore all things, whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them ; for this is the law and the prophets.' There is a universal consanguinity between all mankind, which hath its root in the communion of one and the same nature, and in the dependence and derivation from one common stock. The eminence of the divine nature is the foundation of the honour which we tender to it ; and the equality of our nature is the foundation of the justice which we use to one another. So that here are natural, immutable obligations and grounds of right. Go to particulars : How equal is it that we should acknowledge but one God ! They are drunk that see double, strangely depraved that see more. That wo should not wor- ship him before an idol, which is very apt to taint our minds with a gross opinion of God, as if he were some limited, finite being. It is a great lessening of reverence to see what we worship. Not to take God's name in vain by a false oath, that breedeth atheism and con- tempt. That there should be a day to remember the creator of all things ; everyday 's work is no day's work ; but there must be a limited time. For reverence to parents, all nations call for it. For murder, adultery, stealing, false accusations, man's interest will teach him the necessity of those laws that forbid these things. Contentation is a guard to all the rest, it is fit the God of the spirits of all flesh should give a law to the spirit : * Thou shalt not covet.' Yet this is the law of God, to which scripture is subservient ; and all the admonition'^^ reproofs, exhortations, dehortations, examples, directions, histories of the obedience and virtue of some, with their rewards ; of the disobedi- ence, apostasy, rebellion of others, with their punishments ; all is to enforce this law. The doctrine of Cln-ist, and redemption and recon- ciliation by him, I bring not under this first head, because that is a favour and privilege ; and the justice and equity of gospel precepts will soon appear, Avhen once we have consented to the law that it is good. But of that in the next head.
3. For the truth and faithfulness of God's testimonies. This may
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be considered either in revealing or performing, making or making good his promises.
[1.] For truth and faithfulness in making such offers and promises of pardon and eternal life in case of obedience, and threatening a curse and everlasting punishment in case of disobedience. Surely there is no doubt in all this, because they are revealed by Grod, who is the supreme and original truth, and "who neither is nor can be deceived ; for God's understanding is the rule and measure of all other truths : nothing is true but what is constant to his knowledge. And he can- not deceive us ; that will not agree with the goodness of his nature and love to mankind ; therefore he is called ' God that cannot lie,' Titus i. 2.