Heee is an amplification of the former argument, wherein he doth more fully declare how their enduring tribulations was evSecjfia, &c, a manifestation of God's righteous judgment. In the words note —
1. The impulsive cause, God's justice, ' Seeing it is a righteous thing with God.'
2. The two effects, or the different retributions, ' To recompense,' &c.
3. The time when this is accomplished, ' When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven,' &c.
I begin with the first. This is mentioned that they may be certain of the effects. Just is taken in two senses — (1.) Proeo quod jure fieri potest ; (2.) Pro eo quod jure fieri debet. That which may be done without any injustice, that which ought to be done. The first, when a man doth exact his debts ; the second, for a man to pay his debts. The first may be done or not done, required or omitted, without any blemish or charge of injustice ; but the second must be done, or I am unjust if I do it not. The latter is intended here, for it is brought as a proof of the just judgment of God, in counting them worthy of his kingdom for which they suffered. God would do no injury, or were not unrighteous if he should trouble them that trouble you ; that would make but a cold sense. No ; his justice and equity requireth it ; it cannot without some injustice be omitted to punish them, and give you a relaxation from all evil.
Boot. That in the retributions of the last day God showeth his justice.
1. I shall open the justice of God.
2. Apply it to the different recompenses.
I. For the justice of God, let me set it forth in these consider- ations—
1. Justice is an attribute that belongeth to God as a governor. It is twofold — general and particular.
[1.] His general justice importeth the perfection of the divine nature, and is the same with his holiness. As the perfection of the divine understanding includeth all intellectual virtues, so the perfec-
VER. 6, 7.] SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 217
tion of his will all moral virtues ; and so God doth necessarily love righteousness and hate iniquity, and acteth becoming such a pure, holy, and infinite being. He can do nothing against the perfection of his nature ; that is, cannot deny himself, 2 Tim. ii. 13, will not give his glory to another, Isa. xlii. 8, cannot be indifferent to good and evil: Ps. v. 4, ' Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with thee.' Hateth whatever is contrary to his holy nature : Zech. iii. 5, ' The just Lord is in the midst of thee ; he Aviii do no iniquity ; every morning he bringeth his judgment to light.' Will not damn nor punish an innocent creature or a soul that loveth him, but still acteth with a condecency to his own being.
[2.] His particular justice, which respecteth not his nature, but his office, and belongeth to him as the governor and judge of the world. So he hath given a law to his creatures, and his governing justice con- sists in giving all their due according to his law : Deut. xxxii. 4, ' He is the rock, his work is perfect ; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity ; just and right is he.'
2. Of his government there are two acts or parts — legislation and execution. Accordingly you may conceive two branches of the justice of God — legislative, or judiciary and distributive.
[1.] His legislative justice determineth man's duty, and bindeth him to the performance thereof, and also defineth the rewards and punish- ments which shall be due upon man's obedience or disobedience. God made man a rational voluntary agent, capable of good and evil, with desires of the good and fears of the evil ; therefore, that God as uni- versal king might rule him according to his nature, he hath made for him a law that determineth good and evil, with promises to move him by desires and hopes, and threatenings to drive him by a necessary fear : Deut. xxx. 15, ' See I have set before thee this day life and good, death and evil.' In the precept there is the rule of man's duty, in the sanction the rule of God's judgment or judiciary proceedings with him. And wherever this law is set up, there God is said to 'judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth,' Ps. lxvii. 4 ; that is, to set up holy and righteous decrees, fitted for the benefit of mankind.
[2.] His judiciary justice, called also distributive; that sort of justice whereby he rendereth unto men according to their works, whether good or evil, Rom. ii. 6, and that without respect of persons, 1 Peter i. 17, without regard to any external thing which hath no affinity with the cause that is to be judged, as profession or non- profession.
This justice is twofold — remunerative and vindictive, rewarding and punishing.
(1.) Rewarding. It is just with God to reward our obedience, or to give men what his promise hath made due to them : Heb. vi. 10, ' God is not unrighteous, to forget your labour of love.' If they should never be rewarded or forgotten, God should be unrighteous or unfaithful, which to imagine is abominable : 2 Tim. iv. 8, ' Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which God, the righteous judge, will give me in that day.' It is from God's righteousness and promise, with respect had to Christ's merit, and the qualification of the parties ; as I shall more fully show by and by.