Again, the Scripture expresseth this nature of God with reference unto sin properly, as to what we can conceive thereof in this world, and that is by his holiness, which it sets forth to be such, as that on the account thereof he can bear with no sin, nor suffer any sinner to approach unto him; that is, let no sin go unpunished, nor admit any sinner into his presence whose sin is not expiated and satis- fied for. And what is necessary upon the account of the holiness of God is absolutely and indispensably so, his holiness being his nature. “Thou art,” saith Habakkuk, “of purer eyes than to be- hold evil, and canst not look on iniquity,” chap. i. 13;—‘ Thou canst not by any means have any thing to do with sin.” That is, it may be, because he will not. ‘Nay,’ saith he; ‘it is upon the account of his purity or holiness.’ That is such as he cannot pass by sin, or let it go unpunished. The psalmist also expresseth the nature of God to the same purpose, Ps. v. 4-6, “Thou art not a God that hath pleasure 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 leasing. The Lorp will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.” What is the for- mal reason and cause of all these things,—that he hates, abhors, and will destroy sin and sinners? It is because he is such a God: ‘Thou art not a God to do otherwise, —a God of such purity, such holiness. And should he pass by sin without the punishment of it, he would not be such a God as he is. Without ceasing to be such a God, so infinitely holy and pure, this cannot be. The foolish and all workers of iniquity must be destroyed, because he is such a God. And in that proclamation of his name wherein he declared many blessed, eternal properties of his nature, he adds this among the rest, that “he will by no means clear the guilty,” Exod. xxxiv. 7. This his nature, this his eternal holiness requireth, that the guilty be by no means cleared. So Joshua instructs the people in the nature of this holiness of God, chap. xxiv. 19, “ Ye cannot serve the Lor: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your
406 AN' EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. II.
transgressions nor your sins.” That is, ‘If you continue in your sins, if there be not a way to free you from them, it is m vain for you to have any thing to do with this God; for he is holy and jealous, and will therefore certainly destroy you for your iniquities.’ Now, if such be the nature of God, that with respect thereunto he cannot but punish sin in whomsoever it be found, then the suffering of every sinner, in his own person or by his surety, doth not depend on a mere Sree, voluntary constitution, nor is to be resolved merely into the vera- city of God in his commination or threatening, but is antecedently unto them indispensably necessary, unless we would have the nature of God changed, that sinners may be freed. Whereas, therefore, the Lord Christ is assigned the captain of our salvation, and hath un- dertaken the work of bringing sinners ufito glory, it was meet, with respect unto the holiness of God, that he should undergo the punish- ment due unto their sin. And thus the necessity of the sufferings and satisfaction of Christ is resolved into the holiness and nature of*God. He being such a God as he is, it could not other- wise be.
(2.) The same is manifest from that principle whereunto the punishment of sin is assigned; which is not any free act of the will of God, but an essential property of his nature, namely, his justice or righteousness. What God doth because he is righteous is necessary to be done. And if it be just with God in respect of his essential justice to punish sin, it would be unjust not to do it; for to condemn the innocent and to acquit the guilty are equally un- just. Justice is an eternal and unalterable rule, and what is done according unto it is necessary ; it may not otherwise be, and justice | not be impeached. That which is to be done with respect to justice must be done, or he that is to do it is unjust. Thus it is said to be “a righteous thing with God” to render tribulation unto sinners, 2 Thess. i. 6; because he is righteous, and from his righteousness or justice: so that the contrary would be unjust, not answer his right- eousness. And it is “the judgment of God that they who commit sin are worthy of death,” Rom. i. 32;—namely, it is that which his justice requireth should be so; that is the judgment of God. Not only doth he render death unto sinners because he hath threatened so to do, but because his justice necessarily requireth that so he should do. So the apostle further explains himself, chap. ii, 5-9, where he calls the last day “ the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God;’ wherein, by rendering tribulation unto sinners, he will manifest what his righteousness requires. And what that requires cannot otherwise be, God being naturally, necessarily, essentially righteous. » And this property of God’s nature, requiring that punishment be inflicted on sin and sinners, is often in Scripture called his “anger” and “wrath;’ for although sometimes the effects