110 NECESSITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [EXERC. XXIX.
ment of sin is thence necessary unto God, as he is the holy, supreme governor of the world.
Hence this holiness of God is sometimes expressed by jealousy, or hath jealousy joined with it, or accompanying it: Josh. xxiv. 19, © “ He is an holy God; he is a jealous God: he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.” And God makes mention of this his jealousy, when he would instruct men in his severity in the punish- ing of sin, Exod. xx. 5: for the nature of jealousy is not to spare, Prov. vi. 34; nothing but the executing of vengeance will satisfy it. And this is that which God intended in the revelation of himself which he made by the proclamation of his name before Moses, Exod. xxxiv. 7, “That will by no means clear” (or “acquit’”’) “the guilty,”’— namely, for whom no atonement is made.
And it is to instruct us herein that this holiness of God is ex- pressed by fire, Heb. xii. 29, “Our God is a consuming fire,’—* de- vouring fire’ and “everlasting burnings,’ Isa. xxxiil. 14; and that “a fiery stream” is said to proceed from him, and that his throne is like “a fiery flame,” Dan. vii. 9,10. Now it is certain that God acteth not in any external work by a mere and absolute necessity of nature, as fire burneth. This, therefore, we are not taught by this representation of the holiness of God. But if we may not learn thence, that as eventually fire will burn any combustible thing that is put into it, so the holiness of God requires that all sin be as- suredly punished, we know not what to learn from it; and it is certainly not made use of merely for our amazement.
An account of the nature and holiness of God is given us to the same purpose, Ps. v. 4-6, “ For thou art not a God that hath plea- sure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak lies: the Lorp will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.” All the actings of God in the hatred and punishing of sin proceed from his nature; and what is natural to God is necessary. The negative expression, “Thou art not a God that hath pleasure,” etc., verse 4, includes strongly the affirmative, expressed verse 5, “Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” And this he doth because he is such a God as he is,—that is, infinitely holy and righteous. And that hatred which is here ascribed unto God contains two things in it:—(1.) A natural displicency; he can- not like it, he cannot approve it, he cannot but have an aversation from it. (2.) A will of punishing it proceeding therefrom, and which is therefore necessary, because required by the nature of God. Expressions are here multiplied, to manifest that sin ¢s contrary to the nature of God, and that it is inconsistent therewith to pass it by unpunished. But if the punishing of sin depend upon a mere free
SECT. 14.] ON THE SUPPOSITION OF SIN AND GRACE. 111
act of the will of God, which might or might not be without any disadvantage unto his nature, there is no reason why his holiness or righteousness should be made mention of, as those which induce him thereunto and indispensably require it. This is that which from this consideration is confirmed unto us,—namely, that such is the holiness of the nature of God, that he cannot pass by sin absolutely unpunished: for it is contrary unto his holiness, and therefore he cannot do it; for he cannot deny himself.
14, Again, God in the Scripture is proposed unto us as the swpreme judge of all, acting in rewards and punishments according unto his own righteousness, or what the rectitude and holy properties of his own nature do require and make just, good, and holy. Although his kingdom, dominion, government, and rule, be supreme and ab- solute, yet he ruleth not as it were arbitrarily, without respect unto any rule or law. That God should have any external rule or law in his government of the world; is absolutely and infinitely impossible; but his law and rule is the holiness and righteousness of his own nature, with respect unto that order of all things which, in his will and wisdom, he hath given and assigned unto the whole creation. In respect hereunto he is said to do right as a ruler and a judge: Gen. xviii. 25, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Dawn PUST?3 expresseth that oyéoi¢ of the divine nature, and that office as it were of God, which in this matter he represents himself by unto us as vested withal. He is that supreme rector or governor of all the world, who useth and is to use righteousness in his povern- ment, or to govern righteously. Before such a one the just and the unjust cannot, ought not to be treated or dealt withal in the same manner; for although none be absolutely righteous in his sight, yet some may be so comparatively, with respect unto some kind of guilt and guilty persons. According as the distance is between persons, so the righteousness of God requires that they be differently dealt withal.