unto death, the worst that could be feared or suffered, in their own stead, with an imprecation “ quod in ejus caput sit” upon him.
4, Again; what is affirmed in the Scripture concerning the anger
134 NECESSITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [EXERC. XXX.
wrath, and fury of God against sin, and in the punishment of sin- ners, confirms what we affirm. See Rom. i. 18; Num. xxy. 4; Deut. xiii. 17; Josh. vii. 26; Ps. xxvii. 49; Isa. xii. 9; Hab. 01.8. Now, this anger and wrath, especially in the signification of the original words, do denote such commotions and “alterations as the divine nature is no way subject unto; for with God there is neither vari- ableness nor shadow of change, Jamesi.17. Yet our apostle says that this anger is “revealed from heaven,’—namely, in the acts of divine providence in the world. Nothing, therefore, can be intended hereby but the effects of anger; that is, punishment. And so it is declared, Rom. ii.5; Eph. v. 6; Rom. i. 5: for the anger or wrath of God is said to come upon men when theysare punished by him for their sins. Yet something in God is declared hereby; and this can be nothing but a constant and unchangeable will of rendering unto sin a meet recompense of reward, Rom. ix. 22. And this is justice, the justice pleaded for, which is imsepar- able from the nature of God. Hence God is said to judge and punish in his anger, Ps. lvi 7. And if any thing but this vindic- tive justice be therein intended, that is assigned unto him which ought not to be assigned unto a man that is honest and wise. And this doth God no less manifest in the works of his providence than he doth his goodness and patience; though the instances of it neither are nor ought to be continual, because of the future general judg- ment, whereunto all things and persons are reserved.
5. It will be granted by some that there is such a natural pro- perty in God as that which we contend for; “ But it doth not thence follow,” they say, “that it is necessary that God should punish all sin; but he doth it, and may do it, by an absolute free act of his will. There is, therefore, no cogent argument to be taken from the con- sideration hereof for the necessity of the sufferings of Christ.” The heads of some few arguments to the asin shall put a close to this whole discourse :—
First, God hateth sin, he hateth every sin; he cannot otherwise do. Let any man assert the contrary,—-namely, that God doth not hate sin, or that it is not necessary unto him, on the account of his own nature, that he should hate sin,—and the consequence thereof will quickly be discerned. For to say that God may not hate sin, is at once to take away all natural and necessary difference between moral good and evil ; for if he may not hate it, he may love it. The mere acts of God’s will which are not regulated by any thing in his nature but only wisdom and liberty, are not determined unto this - or that object, but he may so will any thing, or the contrary. And then if God may love sin, he may approve it; and if he approve sin, it is not sin, which is a plain contradiction. That God hateth
SECT. 5.] ON THE SUPPOSITION OF SIN AND GRACE. 135
sin, see Ps. v. 4, 5, xi. 5, xiv. 1, liii, 1; Lev. xxvi. 30; Deut. xvi. 22; 1 Kings xxi. 26; Prov. xv.9; Hab. i. 13. And this hatred of sin in God can be nothing but the displicency in or contrariety of his nature unto it, with an immutable will of punishing it thence arising; for, to have a natural displicency against sin, and. not an immutable will of punishing it, is unworthy of God, for it must arise from impotency. To punish sin, therefore, according to its demerit is necessary unto him.
Secondly, God with respect unto sin and sinners is called “a con- suming fire,” Heb. xii. 29; Deut. iv. 24; Isa. xxxiii. 14, v. 24, Ixvi. 15, 16. Something we are taught by the allusion in this expression. This is not the manner of God’s operation. God worketh freely; the fire burns necessarily. God, I say, always worketh freely, with a freedom accompanying his operation ; though in some cases, on some suppositions, it is necessary that he should work as he doth. It is free to him to speak unto us or not; but on the supposition that he will do so, it is necessary that he speak truly, for God cannot lie. Fire, therefore, acts by brute inclination, according to its form and principle. God acts by his understanding and will, with a freedom accompanying all his operations. This, therefore, we are not taught by this allusion. The comparison, therefore, must hold with re- spect unto the event, or we are deceived, not instructed by it. As, therefore, the fire necessarily burneth and consumeth all combustible things whereunto it is applied, in its way of operation, which is natural; so doth God necessarily punish sin when it lies before him in judgment, in his way of operation, which is free and intellectual.