[2.] His remunerative justice. There is a threefold justice in God; his general justice, his strict justice, his justice of benignity oi- fidelity, according to his gospel-law. (1.) His general justice requireth that there should be a different proceeding among them that differ among themselves ; that every man should reap according to what he hath sown, whether he hath been sowing to the flesh or to the spirit, that the fruit of his doings should be given into his bosom. And therefore, though this be not evident in this life, where good and evil is promis- cuously dispensed, because now is the time of God's patience and our trial, yet in the life to come, when God will 'judge the world in righteousness,' Acts xvii. 31, it is necessary that it should go well with the good, and ill with the bad. And as the apostle saith, 2 Thes. i. 6, 7, ' It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.' There is gener^alis ratio justi, in the difference of the recompenses, and therefore the different actions of the persons to be judged, must come into the discussion, whether good or evil. (2.) There is God's strict justice declared in the covenant of works, whereby he rewardeth man according to his perfect obedience, or else punisheth him for his failings and coming short. This also is in part to be declared at the day of judgment, on the wicked at least ; for the apostle declareth that there will be a different proceeding with men, according to the divers
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covenants which they are under; some shall be judged by the law of liberty, according to which God will accept their sincere though imper- fect obedience; others shall have judgment, without any temperament of mercy, James ii. 12, 13 ; and justly, because they never changed copy and tenure. When God made man he gave him a law, suitable to that perfection and innocency wherein he made him. Our act did not make void his right to require the obedience due by that law, nor our obligation to perform it ; but yet because man was incapable of performing this law or obtaining righteousness by it, having once broken it, he was pleased to cast otit a plank to us after shipwreck, to offer us the remedy of a new law of grace, wherein he required of us ' repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,' Acts xx. 21 ; that we should return to our duty to our creator, depending upon the merit, satisfaction, and power of the mediator. Now we are all sinners, and have deserved death according to the law of nature, and woe and wrath a hundred times over ; and if through our impeni- tency and unbelief, we will not accept of God's remedy, we are justly left to the old covenant, under wliich we were born, and so undergo judgment without mercy. (3.) There is his justice of bounty and free beneficence, as judging according to his gospel-law, which accepteth of sincere obedience ; and so God is just, when he rewardeth a man capable of reward upon t^ms of gi-ace ; so it is said, Heb. vi. 10, ' God is not unrighteous to forget your work of faith, and labour of love, which ye have showed to his name.' His promises take notice of works, and the fruits of faith and love, as one part of our qualification, which make us capable of the blessings promised.
[3.] His veracity and faithfulness. God hath promised life and glory to the penitent and obedient, and the faithful. And God will make good his promises, and reward all the labours, and patience, and faithfulness of his servants, according to his promises to them. To whom hath he piomised salvation? To the obedient, to the patient, to the pure in heart, to the diligent and studious, everywhere in the word of God: John xii. 26, 'There shall my servant be;' James i. 12, and Rom. ii. 6. 7, 'He will render to every one according to his deeds : to them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, honour, immortality, eternal life.' On the contrary he hath interminated and threatened : vers. 8, 9, ' To them that are contentious, and obey not the the truth,' who wrangle and dispute away duty. See promises mixed with threatenings, to the carnal and the mortified : Rom. viii. 13, 'If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live ; ' and Gal, vi. 8, ' If ye sow to the flesli, of the flesh ye shall reap corruption ; but if ye sow to the spirit, ye shall reap life everlasting.' Now that God's truth may fully appear, men's works must be brought into the trial.
[4.] His free grace. The business of that day is not only to glorify his justice, but to glorify his free love and mercy : 1 Peter i. 13, ' Hope unto the end for the grace that is to be brought to you, at the revel- ation of our Lord Jesus Christ.' And this grace is no way infringed, but the rather exalted, when what we have done in the body, whether it be good or evil, is brought into the judgment.