Secondly, This consideration is confirmed by a double testimony, wherein God assumeth unto himself that which will give assurance of the punishment of apostates. And we may consider, concerning these testimonies, 1. The apostle’s application of them unto his pur- pose; 2. The force that is in them unto that end.
1. They are both of them taken from Deut. xxxii. 35, 36. ‘ But in that place they seem absolutely to intend vengeance and judg- ment on the adversaries of his people, to make a way for their deliverance; but here they are applied unto the final destruction of that same people, namely, the Jews, without hope of deliverance.’
I answer, (1.) That it is usual with the apostle in this epistle, and all other writers of the New Testament, to make use of testimonies out of the Old without respect unto the particular cases and designs which they were originally applied unto, but with regard unto the truth and equity contained in them; whereon they are equally applicable unto all cases of a like nature. ‘Thus,’ saith he, ‘God declares himself with respect unto his stubborn enemies; whence a
rule is established, that he will deal so with all that are so, who are in the same circumstances with them of whom we speak.’
552 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP, X.
(2.) What God speaks concerning his enemies, and the enemies of his people in covenant with him, is applicable unto that people itself when they absolutely break and reject the covenant. So was it done by these apostates, who thereon came into the room and place of the most cursed enemies of God and his people. And there- fore God will be unto them what he was unto the worst of those his adversaries.
(3.) That which God properly in that place assumeth this titie unto himself upon, is the cruelty and rage of those adversaries in the persecution and destruction of his people: and shall he not act in like manner towards them who murdered the Lord Jesus, and per- secuted all his followers?) Wherefore, whatever frame of mind in God is represented in the Scripture, as unto his indignation against the worst of sinners and his adversaries, is fully applicable unto these degenerate apostates.
2. The first testimony in the original is, pbvh Dp2 >, “to me ven- geance and recompence;” which the apostle renders by évdimog pusobce- rodosie, to the same purpose. Recompence is the actual exercise of vengeance. Any, éxdinnois, “ vengeance,” is the actual execution of judgment on sinners according unto their desert, without mitigation or mercy. It is an act of judgment; and wherever mention is made of it, God is still proposed as a judge, it being a just retribution, on the consideration of the demerit of sin as Sin.
(1.) This vengeance God appropriateth the right of unto himself in a peculiar manner, as that which no creature, in its full latitude, — hath any interest in. See Ps. xciv. 1, 2. For it respects only sin in its own formal nature, as sin against God. [1.] Though men may inflict punishment on it, yet they do it principally on other accounts.. Whatever is of vengeance in punishment is merely an emanation from divine constitution. [2.] No creature can have the just measures of the desert of sin, so as to give it a just and due recompence. [.] The power of the creature cannot extend to the just execution of vengeance, sin deserving eternal punishment. [4.] Pure vengeance, as vengeance, is not to be intrusted with our nature; nor would any man be able to manage it, but would fall into one excess or other, unto the ruin of his own soul. Wherefore God hath reserved and included all vengeance unto himself, and all just, final retribution for and unto sin, Although he hath allowed infliction of punishment on offenders, in order unto the government and peace of the world, in magistrates and public persons, yet as unto vengeance, as it denotes giving satisfaction to ourselves in the punishment of others, it is forbidden unto all persons, both private and public. » God, in executing vengeance, gives satisfaction unto his own infinite holiness and righteousness; which makes it holy and
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just. Men cannot give satisfaction unto themselves in punishment but it is unto their evil affections; which makes it useless and un- just. Hence David blessed God that he had kept him from avenging himself on Nabal. For there is no vengeance but what is exerted by a man’s self, in his own case and cause: the judgment unto punishment is for others. Wherefore the formal reason of the ap- propriation of all vengeance unto God is, that God alone can judge and punish in his own case, and unto his own satisfaction. “He hath made all things for himself, and the wicked for the day of evil.” (2.) In this appropriation of vengeance unto God, there is sup- posed and included that indeed there is vengeance with God, which in due time he will execute: “I will repay, saith the Lord.” He doth oftentimes exercise great patience and forbearance, even then when vengeance might justly be expected and is called for: “ How long dost thou not avenge our blood?” This commonly adds unto the security of wicked men, and they learn to despise the threatening of all the judgments of God which they have deserved, 2 Pet. iii, 83-7; Eccles. viii. 11. They are ready to conclude that either vengeance doth not belong unto God, or that it shall be executed when and where they are not concerned. But in all these cases God hath fixed a determinate time and season for the execution of deserved vengeance. Hence he calls it “ the year of vengeance,” and “the day of recompence;” so here, “I will repay it, saith the Lord.”