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STUDY NOTES ON THE SUBSTANCE OF PSALM 109 AND MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 VERSE 44 Taken from Dr. John Gill’s Body of Doctrinal Divinity and Commentary Of the Bible
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Contents 1 THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 3 Matthew 5:44 3 2 A BODY OF DOCTRINAL DIVINITY 3 BOOK 1 By Dr. John Gill 3 Chapter 11 3 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE 3 SOVEREIGNTY OF IT 3 Chapter 12 10 OF THE LOVE OF GOD 10 Chapter 13 13 OF THE GRACE OF GOD 13 Chapter 14 16 OF THE MERCY OF GOD 16 Chapter 15 19 OF THE LONGSUFFERING OF GOD 19 Chapter 16 22 OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD. 22 Chapter 17 24 OF THE ANGER AND WRATH OF GOD 24 Chapter 18 28 OF THE HATRED OF GOD 28 Chapter 19 30 OF THE JOY OF GOD. 30 Chapter 20 32 OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD. 32 Chapter 21 34 OF THE JUSTICE OR 34 RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD 34 Chapter 22 38 OF THE VERACITY OF GOD 38 Chapter 23 40 OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD 40 3 AN INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 109 45 By Dr. John Gill 45 Psalms 109:1 45 Psalms 109:2 46 Psalms 109:3 46 Psalms 109:4 46 Psalms 109:5 46 Psalms 109:6 47 Psalms 109:7 47 Psalms 109:8 47 Psalms 109:9 48 Psalms 109:10 48 Psalms 109:11 48 Psalms 109:12 49 Psalms 109:13 49 Psalms 109:14 49 Psalms 109:15 49
Psalms 109:16 Psalms 109:17 Psalms 109:18 Psalms 109:19 Psalms 109:20 Psalms 109:22 Psalms 109:23 Psalms 109:23 Psalms 109:24 Psalms 109:25 Psalms 109:26 Psalms 109:27 Psalms 109:28 Psalms 109:30 Psalms 109:31
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11 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IT 3 for they know not what they do”: and in this he has left 1 THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW us an example, that we should tread in his steps; and Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, love your enemies,.... That is, as here in he was quickly followed by his holy martyr Stethe Apostle Paul may be thought to interpret the words phen; who, whilst he was being stoned, prayed for his of Christ, Romans 12:20. “If thine enemy hunger, feed persecutors and murderers, saying, “Lord, lay not this him: if he thirst, give him drink”: unless our Lord should sin to their charge”. This breathes out the true spirit of be supposed rather to regard the internal affection of Christianity, and is peculiar to it. The whole of this is the mind; since outward expressions of love, by words directly opposite to the tenets of the Jews, particularly and works, are urged in the following exhortations: the the Scribes and Pharisees; who allowed of revenge, and actions of a man may be hated, and just indignation be keeping anger against any person that had done them expressed against them, and yet his person be loved, an injury, as has been observed: and which were also tenderness be used to him, and pity shown him: all the sentiments of the Karaites, or Scripturarians, anothmen, even enemies, are to be loved with a natural love, er sect among them who kept to the letter of the Scripas men; though they cannot be loved with a spiritual tures, and rejected the traditions of the elders, which affection, as brethren in Christ: and in natural affection the Pharisees held: but in this they agreed with them, there are degrees, according to the relation and circum- “that it was right to do good to their friends, and to forgive them that asked pardon of them; but to such men stances that persons stand in to one another. Bless them that curse you: when wicked men curse who rendered evil, and did not return to do well, that you, as Shimei cursed David, do not “render evil for evil, they might receive forgiveness, רוטנלו םוקנל רוסא וניא or railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing”; give םהמ, “it is not forbidden to revenge, and to keep anger good words, use kind language, mild and soft expres- against them”.1 It is indeed said2 of their former holy men, םידיסח, sions; such as may either win upon them, or put them to shame and silence: “bless, and curse not”; the latter “Hasideans”, which some have thought to be the same belongs to them, the former to you; “let them curse, but with the “Essenes”, and a sort of Christians; however, bless thou”: curses better fit their mouths, and blessings were a better sort of Jews; that these “heard their rethine. Blessing here, does not signify praising them, proach, but did not return it; and not only so, but they for that would be sinful, which is sometimes the sense pardoned him that reproached them, and forgave him.’ And it is reported of these men, that they used to of the word; nor wishing, or praying for a blessing on pray to God to pardon and forgive all that disturbed them, which is right and good; but this is mentioned afterwards, as distinct from blessing; wherefore, it is them. But the Pharisees, whom Christ had to do with, better to understand it of a sweet and engaging address and against whom he inveighs, were men of another unto, and behaviour and conduct towards such, whose complexion. mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Do good to them that hate you; such as hate you A BODY OF DOCTRINAL DIVINITY in their hearts, and discover their hatred by their ac- 2 BOOK 1 By Dr. John Gill tions; do not make returns in the same way, but on the contrary, do them all the good you can; perform all the Chapter 11 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE kind offices that lie in your power; let them partake of SOVEREIGNTY OF IT your bounty and liberality; if poor, feed, clothe, and Having considered the attributes of God which besupply them, as you are able, with the necessaries of life; and give them wholesome advice for the good of their long to his understanding, as an intelligent Spirit, his souls: by “so doing”, you will “heap coals of fire on their knowledge and wisdom, I now proceed to consider his heads”; of enemies, make them friends; engage their af- Will, and the sovereignty of it. And shall, 1. Prove that there is a Will in God; for in all intellifections to you, and you may be happy instruments in doing them good, both in soul and body: and pray for gent beings there is a will, as well as an understanding; them that despitefully use you and persecute you. What as in angels and men, so in God; as he has an underChrist here commands and advises to, he himself did; 1 R. Eliahu in Adderet, c. 3. apud Trigland. de Sect. for as he hung upon the cross, he prayed for his cruciKaraeorum, c. 10. p. 166, 167. fiers, who were then using him in the most despiteful, 2 Maimon. Hilch. Talmud Tora. c. 7. sect. 13. as well as cruel manner; saying, “Father, forgive them,
4 11 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IT standing which is infinite and unsearchable; so he has origin of nations, the settlement of them in the various a will, to do what he knows is most fitting to be done. parts of the world; the rise of states and kingdoms, and His understanding influences and guides his will, and particularly the four monarchies, and the succession of his will determines all his actions; and his will being them: to the church, in the line of Seth, from Adam, thus wisely directed, is called, “the counsel of his will” and in the line of Shem, from Noah, and in the people (Eph. 1:11). A will is frequently ascribed to God in of Israel, from Abraham, to the coming of Christ: and Scripture; “The will of the Lord be done” (Acts 21:14). the book of Revelation is a discovery of the secret will “Who has resisted his will” (Rom. 9:19). “Having made of God with respect to both, from the coming of Christ known unto us the mystery of his will”, (Eph. 1:9) and to the end of the world; the greatest part of which has in many other places; the will of God is no other than been fulfilled, and the rest will be; as the destruction God himself willing; it is essential to him; it is his nature of antichrist, and the antichristian states; the converand essence; it is not to be separated, or to be consid- sion of the Jews, and the bringing in of the fulness of ered as distinct from it, or as a part of it, of which it is the Gentiles; and the spiritual and personal kingdom composed; which would be contrary to the simplicity of Christ. These are now already revealed, though the of God; or to his being a simple, uncompounded Spirit; time when they will take place is still in the secret will which has been established. Will is ascribed to each of of God. The providence of God may be considered as the divine persons; to the Father, (John 6:39, 40) to the special with respect to particular persons; there is a purSon, as a divine person, (John 5:21, 17:24) and who also, pose or secret will of God, with respect to every man; as man, has a will distinct from that, though subjected and there is a time fixed for every purpose; a time to be to it, (John 6:38; Luke 22:42) and to the Spirit, who is born, and a time to die; and for everything that befalls said to forbid, and not to suffer some things to be done; men between their birth and death: all which open in that is, to not allow them; and to not allow is an act of time, in providence; and what was secret becomes rethe will, as well as to will, (Acts 16:6, 7) and he is said to vealed: so we know that we are born, who our parents, divide his gifts to each men, as he “will” (1 Cor. 12:11). the time and circumstances of our birth, as related to And these three, as they are the one God, they agree in us; we know what has befallen us, whether in an adone, in one mind and will. verse or prosperous way; God has performed what is 2. 1 shall next show what the will of God is: there is appointed for us, as Job says of himself; but then, as he but one will in God; but for our better understanding observes, “many such things are with him”, in his seit, it may be distinguished. I shall not trouble the reader cret will. We know not what shall befall us; and though with all the distinctions of it made by men; some are we know that we shall die, that is revealed; but when false, and others vain and useless; such as into absolute and where, in what manner and circumstance, we know and conditional, antecedent and consequent, effectual not; that remains in the secret will of God. Some things and ineffectual, &c. the distinction of the “secret” and which belong to the secret will of God become revealed “revealed” will of God has generally obtained among by prophecy; so it was made known to Abraham, that sound divines; the former is properly the will of God, his seed, according to the secret will or purpose of God, the latter only a manifestation of it. Whatever God has should be in a land, not theirs, four hundred years, and determined within himself, whether to do himself, or be afflicted, and come out with great substance: nor to do by others, or to suffer to be done, while it is in did God hide from Abraham what he secretly willed to his own breast, and is not made known by any event in do, in destroying Sodom and Gomorrah: and, indeed, providence, or by prophecy, that is his secret will; such it has been usual for the Lord to do nothing but what are the deep things of God, the thoughts of his heart, he reveals to his servants the prophets; particularly all the counsels and determinations of his mind; which are things concerning Christ, his incarnation, offices, obeimpenetrable to others; but when these open, by events dience, sufferings, and death, and the glory that should in providence, or by prophecy, then they become the follow, were all signified beforehand, to the prophets, by revealed will of God. God’s secret will becomes revealed the Spirit of Christ in them. The will of God, which he by events in providence, whether it be considered gen- would have done by men, is revealed in the law, that is eral or special; the general providence of God, with called “his will” (Rom. 2:18). This was made known to respect to the world and church, is no other than the Adam, by inscribing it on his heart, whereby he knew execution, and so the manifestation of his secret will, his duty to God, to be performed by him; this, though with respect to both: to the world, its production, the sadly obliterated by sin, yet there are some remains of it
11 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IT 5 in the Gentiles, who do by nature the things contained subject, as what has been observed plainly shows. in it; which show the work of the law written in their The most accurate distinction of the will of God, is hearts: a new edition of this law was delivered to the Is- into that of precept and purpose; or the commanding raelites, written on tables of stone, by the finger of God; and decreeing will of God. according to which they were to behave themselves, and God’s will of precept, or his commanding will, is that hold the tenure of the land of Canaan, and enjoy the which is often spoken of in Scripture; as what should be privileges of it: and in regeneration the law of God is done by men, and which is desirable they might have put into the inward parts, and written on the hearts of knowledge of, and be complete in (Matthew 7:21, 12:50; God’s people; who being transformed, by the renewing Col. 1:9, 4:12). This is the rule of mens’ duty; which conof their minds, come to know what is the good, perfect, sists of the fear of God, and keeping his commands; this and acceptable will of God (Rom. 12:2). This respects is done but by a few, and by none perfectly; every sin man’s duty both to God and men. is a transgression of it; when it is done aright it is done There is the revealed will of God in the Gospel; in faith, from love, and to the glory of God: every good which respects the kind intentions, and gracious re- man desires to do it in the best manner, and, if it could gards of God to men; and discovers what before was be, perfectly; even as it is done by angels in heaven. his secret will concerning them; as, that he has chosen God, by the declaration of this his will, shows what he some to everlasting life and happiness; that he has ap- approves of, and what is acceptable to him, when done pointed these to salvation by Christ; and appointed him aright; and is made to render men inexcusable that do to be their Saviour; that Christ undertook to do this will it not, and to make it appear right in justice to inflict of God, and came from heaven to earth to do it, and punishment on such persons. has finished it; and that it is the will of God that these The decreeing will of God is only, properly speakshould be regenerated and sanctified; and “that they ing, his Will; the other is his Word: this is the rule of his should never perish, but have everlasting life” (Eph. 1:4, own actions; he does all things in heaven and earth after 5; John 6:38; 1 Thess. 4:3; John 6:39, 40; Matthew 18:14). his will, the counsel of it; and this will is always done, But then, though all this is the revealed will of God, in cannot be resisted, frustrated, and made void; he does the Gospel, yet as to particular persons interested here- whatever he wills; “his counsel stands, and the thoughts in, it is, in a great measure, a secret; election of God, and of his heart are to all generations”; and this is sometimes so the rest, may be known by the Gospel coming with fulfilled by those who have no regard to his will of prepower into the heart, and by a work of grace upon it; cept, and have no knowledge of this, even while they and the knowledge of it should be sought after; yet it is are doing it; as Herod and Pontius Pilate, the Jews and not attained to but by such who are favoured with a full Gentiles, in doing what they did against Christ, (Acts assurance of faith; and as to others, though it may, in a 4:27, 28) and the ten kings, into whose hearts God put judgment of charity, because of their declared experi- it to fulfil his will, in giving their kingdoms to the beast, ences, their savoury discourses, and holy conversation, (Rev. 17:17) and this will of God should be bore in mind be concluded of them, that they are the elect of God, in everything we intend to do or go about; saying, if the &c. yet it cannot be certainly known, but by divine rev- Lord will, we will do this, and that, and the other, (1 elation, as it might be by the apostle, that Clement, and Cor. 4:19; James 4:13-15) and this should be owned other fellow labourers of his, had their names written and acknowledged, and submitted to in every state and in the book of life (Phil. 4:3). It is the revealed will of condition of life, whether of prosperity or adversity, or God, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both in whatsoever befalls us in our own persons, or in our of the just and unjust; and that all must appear before friends and relations, (Acts 21:14) and this, properly the judgment seat of Christ; that after death there will speaking, is the one and only will of God. I shall next be a judgment; and though it is revealed, that a day is inquire, fixed, as well as a person appointed to judge the world in III. What are the objects of it. righteousness; yet “of that day and hour knows no man”; First, God himself, not his Being, perfections, and no, not the angels; but God only. So that, on the whole, modes of subsisting; as the paternity of the Father; the though there is some foundation for this distinction of generation of the Son; and the breathing of the Spirit. the secret and revealed will of God, yet it is not quite These naturally and necessarily exist, and do not declear; there is a mixture, part of the will of God is, as yet, pend upon the will of God: but it is his own glory; “The secret, and part of it revealed, with respect to the same Lord hath made all things for himself ”; that is, for his
6 11 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IT own glory (Prov. 16:4). He wills his own glory in all he of the dust, nor come by chance; but are by the will, ordoes; as “all things are of him”, as the efficient Cause; and der, and appointment of God; as to quality, quantity, “through him”, as the wise Disposer of them; so they are duration, ends, and uses, (Job 23:14; Mic. 6:9; 1 Thess. “to him”, to his glory, as the final Cause, and last end of 3:3) and which are consistent with the justice, holiness, all; and this he wills necessarily; he cannot but will his wisdom, love, and goodness of God. If they are in a way own glory; as “he will not give his glory to another”; he of punishment, as they are to wicked and ungodly men; cannot will it to another; that would be to deny himself. there is no reason to complain of them, since they are Secondly, All things without himself, whether good less than their sins deserve; and not at all unworthy of a or evil, are the objects of his will, or what his will is some righteous God to will to inflict on them, (Lam. 3:39) all way or other concerned in: there is a difference, indeed, judgments, calamities, and distresses, which come upon between the objects of God’s knowledge and power and kingdoms, nations, cities, towns, and particular persons, the objects of his will; for though he knows all things are all of God, and according to his will (Amos 3:6). Not knowable, in his understanding, and his power reach- that God wills these things for the sake of them; or as es to all that is possible, though not made; yet he wills taking delight in the afflictions and miseries of his creanot all things willable, if the word may be allowed, or tures, (Lam. 3:33; Ezek. 18:32) but for the sake of some that might be willed; wherefore, as Amesius observes, good: the afflictions of his people are for their spiritual though God is said to be omniscient and omnipotent, good, as well as for his own glory: and the punishment yet not omnivolent or all willing. of the wicked is for the glorifying of his justice. 1st, All good things. 3blb. There is “malum culpae”, or the evil of fault 1. All things in nature; all things are made by him, and blame, that is sin: about this there is some difficulty and all were originally good that were made by him, how the will of God should be concerned in it, consisteven “very good”; and all were made according to his ent with his purity and holiness: that the will of God is will; “Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure”; some way or other concerned with it is most certain; or by thy will, “they are and were created”, (Rev. 4:11) for he either wills it or not wills it: the latter cannot be even the heavens, earth, and sea, and all that in them said, because nothing comes to pass, God not willing it, are. (Lam. 3:37) or he neither wills it, nor not wills it; that is, 2. All things in providence. God’s kingdom of prov- he has no care about it, nor concern at all with it; and idence rules over all, and extends to all creatures, angels so it is outside the area of jurisdiction, and not within and men, and every other, and to all events that befall the reach of his providence; which cannot be admitted, them; not a sparrow falls to the ground without the will and which none will say, but those who are atheistically of God; “He doth according to his will in the army of inclined (see Ezek. 9:9; Zep. 1:12). Besides, as Beza, and heaven”; in the heavenly host of angels; “and among the other divines argue, unless God had voluntarily permitinhabitants of the earth”, (Dan. 4:35) there is nothing ted sin to be, there could be no display, neither of his comes to pass but what God has willed, ordered, and punitive justice, nor of his mercy: to which may be addappointed; “Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, ed, that God’s foreknowledge of sin most fully proves when the Lord commandeth it not?” (Lam. 3:37). his will in it; that God foreknew sin would be, is cer3. All things in grace are according to the will of tain; as the fall of Adam; since he made a provision, in God, all spiritual blessings in Christ, all grace given Christ, for the saving of men out of it, before it was; and to the elect Christ, before the world was; the choice of so other sins (see 2 Sam. 12:11, 16:22). Now certain and them in Christ; predestination to adoption by him; re- immutable foreknowledge, such as the foreknowledge demption through his blood; regeneration, sanctifica- of God, is founded upon some certain and immutable tion, and the eternal inheritance; all are according to the cause; which can be no other than the divine will; God good pleasure of his will (2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 1:3-5, 7, 9, 11; foreknows, certainly, that such and such things will be; James 1:18; 1 Thess. 4:3). because he has determined in his will they shall be. To Secondly, All evil things are the objects of God’s set this affair in the best light, it will be proper to conwill; which are of two sorts. sider, what is in sin, and relative to it: there is the act of 1. “Malum poenae”, the evil of afflictions; whether sin, and there is the guilt of sin, which is an obligation to in a way of chastisement, or of punishment: if in a way punishment, and the punishment itself. Concerning the of chastisement, as they are to the people of God, they two last there can be no difficulty; that God should will are according to the will of God; they do not spring out that men that sin should become guilty; be reckoned,
11 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IT 7 accounted, and treated as such; or lie under obligation but one undivided nature common to them all, and so to punishment; nor that he should will the punishment but one will: they are one, and they agree in one; God is of them, and appoint and foreordain them to it for it “in one mind”, or will; though there may be distinctions (Prov. 16:4; Jude 1:4). The only difficulty is, about the of his will, and different objects of it, and divers ways in act of sin; and this may be considered either as natural which he wills, yet it is by one single eternal act of will or moral; or the act, and the ataxy, disorder, rregularity, he wills all things. Hence also his will is incommunicaand vitiosity of it: as an action, barely considered, it is of ble to a creature; the will of God cannot otherwise be a God, and according to his will; without which, and the creature’s, but as that they approve of it, acquiesce in it, concourse of his providence, none can be performed; and submit unto it; even it was incommunicable to the he is the fountain and source of all action and motion; human nature of Christ, though taken into union with in him all live, move, and have their being, (Acts 17:28) the person of the Son of God; yet his divine will, and but then the vitiosity and irregularity of it, as it is an his human will, are distinct from each other, though the aberration from the law of God, and a transgression of one is subject to the other (John 6:38; Luke 22:42). it, is of men only; and God cannot be said to will this; Secondly, The will of God is “eternal”, as may be he forbids it, he abhors and detests it; he takes no pleas- concluded from the attribute of “eternity”; for if God ure in it; he is of purer eyes than even to behold it with is eternal, as he certainly is, even from everlasting to approbation and delight. God cannot will it as sin, or everlasting God, then his will must he eternal, since it for the sake of itself; but for the sake of some good to is his nature and essence: and from his “immutability”; be brought about through it; as the fall of Adam, for the who changes not, and with whom there is no shadow of glorifying of his justice and mercy, in punishing some turning; but if any new will arises in God in time, which of his posterity, and saving others: the sin of Joseph’s was not in eternity, there would be a change in him; he brethren selling him into Egypt, for the good of Joseph would not be the same in time he was in eternity; nor and his father’s family, and others; and the sin of the the same in eternity he is in time; whereas, he is the Jews, in crucifying Christ, for the redemption and sal- same yesterday, today, and for ever: and from the “forevation of men. And besides, God may will one sin as knowledge” of God, which is eternal; “Known unto God a punishment for another; as it is most certain he has are all his works, from the beginning of the world”, or in the case of the Israelites, (Hosea 4:9, 10, 13) of the from eternity, (Acts 15:18) and now as God’s foreknowlheathen philosophers, (Rom. 1:28) and of the papists (2 edge arises from his will, God foreknows what will be, Thess. 2:9-12). Once more, though God may be said, in as has been observed, because he has determined, in his such senses, to will sin, yet he wills it in a different way will, what shall be; so if his knowledge is eternal, his than he wills that which is good; he does not will to do will must be eternal. Likewise, this may be illustrated by it himself, nor to do it by others; but permits it to be the decree of “election”; that was, certainly, before men done; and which is not a bare permission, but a volun- had done either good or evil; was from the beginning, tary permission; and is expressed by God’s “giving” up or from everlasting; even before the foundation of the men to their own hearts’ lusts, and by “suffering” them world, (Eph. 1:4) and as the decree and determination to walk in their own sinful ways, (Ps. 81:12; Acts 14:16) of the will of God was so early, the same may be conhe wills it not by his effective will, but by his permissive cluded of all others: add to all which, the will of God will; and therefore cannot be chargeable with being the is concerned with “all things” that have been “from the author of sin; since there is a wide difference between beginning” of the world, now are, or shall be to the end doing it himself, and doing it by others, or ordering it of it; and therefore must be prior to the existence of the to be done, winch only can make him the author of sin; world, and things in it; and if prior to them, then priand voluntarily permitting or suffering it to be done by or to time; and if prior to time, must be eternal; for we others. I proceed to consider, know of nothing before time but what is eternal. IV. The nature and properties of the will of God. 4c. Thirdly, The will of God is “immutable”: immuAnd, tability is expressly ascribed to the counsel of God; that First, It is natural and “essential” to him; it is his is, to the will and purpose of God, (Heb. 6:17) and may very nature and essence; his will is himself willing; and be established from the attribute of “immutability”; for therefore there can be but one will in God; for there if God is unchangeably the same, as he is, then his will is but one God, whose nature and essence is one; for must be the same, since it is his nature and essence: a though there are three persons in the Godhead, there is change is made in the will of a creature, either by begin-
8 11 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IT ning to will what it did not before, or by ceasing to will 27). Besides if his will was not efficacious, or it failed of what it has willed: now the cause of beginning a new accomplishment, he would not be happy: when a man’s will, or willing what it did not, supposes previous igno- will is ineffectual, and he cannot accomplish it, it gives rance of the thing now begun to be willed; not knowing him uneasiness, it makes him unhappy; but this can the fitness and propriety of it, being ignorant of its na- never be said of God, who is the blessed, the blessed ture, excellence, and utility; for of an unknown thing God, blessed forevermore. there can be no desire and will: but such a change of will Fifthly, The will of God has “no cause” out of himcan never take place in God, on such a footing; since it is self; for then there would be something prior to him, not only contrary to his eternity and immutability, but and greater and more excellent than he; as every cause to his knowledge, whose understanding is infinite: or a is before its effect, and more excellent than that; and his creature changes its will, when it ceases to will what it will would be dependent on another, and so he not be has willed; which is either of choice, or of obligation to the independent Being he is: nor can there be any imit; of choice, when something unforeseen occurs, which pulsive or moving cause of his will; because there is in causes it to change its will, and take another course: but him no passive power to work upon; he is purely act, nothing of this kind can befall God, before whom all “actus simplicissimus”, a pure, active Spirit: if he conthings are at once and together, naked and open; even sisted of act and power, he would not be the simple and from all eternity: or else of force, being obliged unto uncompounded Spirit he is; wherefore, to be impelled it, because it cannot accomplish its will, and therefore or moved by any cause, would be contrary to his simdrops it, and takes another course: “But who hath resist- plicity, before established: he may indeed be said to will ed his will”, the will of God, so as to cause him to cease one thing for another; but then that which he wills for from it, and drop it? If God changes his will, it must another, is no moving cause of his will; these may have be either for the better or the worse; and either way it the nature of cause and effect between themselves; but would betray imperfection in him, and want of wisdom; neither of them the cause of the will of God; nor is there God may change his outward dispensations of any final cause of what he wills and does but his own things, but he never changes his will: repentance attrib- glory; and it would be madness to seek for a cause of his uted to him is no proof of it; “He is in one mind, and willing that: and from this property of the will of God, who can turn him?” his will is not to be turned nor al- it may be clearly discerned, that foreseen faith, holiness, tered, no not by the prayers of his people. But of these and good works, cannot be the cause of God’s will in the things see more under the attribute of “immutability”, election of any to eternal life; and so the contrary, no before treated of. cause of his will in the rejection of others. Fourthly, The will of God is always efficacious; there Sixthly, The will of God, for this same reason, is are no wishes, would-bes, or feeble degrees of volition not conditional; for then it would be dependent on the in God; his will is always effected, never made null and condition to be performed; and not the will of God, but void; he does whatever he pleases, or wills; his counsel the performance of the condition, would be the first always stands, and he ever does his pleasure; otherwise and chief in the attainment of the end thereby. And, to he would not be almighty, as he is: it must be for want say no more, if, for instance, God willed to save all men of power, if his will is not fulfilled, which cannot be conditionally; that is, on condition of faith and repentsaid; as he is omnipotent, so is his will; yea, Austin calls ance; and to damn them if these conditions are wanting; it, his most omnipotent will: if this was not the case, who does not see that this conditional will, to save and there would be somewhat, or some one “superior” to to destroy, is equally the same? destruction is equally him; whereas he is God over all, the most High, higher willed as salvation; and where is the general love of God than the highest; and can never be contradicted by any: to men, so much talked of? there is none at all to any. and was his will ineffectual, he would be “frustrated” Seventhly, The will of God is most free and soverand disappointed of his end: but as nothing comes to eign; as appears, pass which man says, and the Lord commands it not; 1. From the making of the world, and all things in so everything the Lord says, wills, and orders, most cer- it. That the world is eternal, few have asserted; that it tainly comes to pass; “For the Lord of hosts hath pur- was made, and the scriptures assert, (Rev. 4:11) and the posed, and who shall disannul it?” yea, he hath sworn, making of it, as to time and order, and things contained saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to in it, is owing to the sovereign will of God; to what else pass; and as I have purposed, it shall stand” (Isa. 14:24, but to his sovereignty can it be ascribed, that he has not
11 OF THE WILL OF GOD AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF IT 9 made more worlds than he has, who could, if he would, are free from sickness and diseases of body all their have made ten thousand worlds? or that he should make days; their strength is firm, and no weaknesses in their this world when he did, and not sooner, when he could death, but die in their full strength: while others drag have made it millions of ages before, if he would? or that on a life attended with a variety of infirmities and dishe should be six days making that, and all things in it, orders, to their graves; and this is the case of the best of when he could have made them all in a moment, if he men: to what can it be imputed, but to the sovereign will pleased? or that he made this world no larger than it is, of God? and how otherwise can be accounted for the and made no more kinds and species of creatures than many abortions, miscarriages, untimely births, infants he has, and those he has made no more numerous than that never saw light; and others, as soon as their eyes they be? no reason can be assigned, but his sovereign are opened in this world, are shut again; when others will and pleasure. not only go through the stages of infancy, childhood, 2. The sovereignty of the will of God appears in and manhood, but arrive to a full age, and come to their providence, and in the various events of it; as in the graves like a shock of corn fully ripe? And a multitude of births and deaths of men,which are neither of them of other things might be observed, in providence; which, the will of men, but of the will of God; and there is a though God has wise reasons for them, are unaccounttime for both fixed by his will; and in which his sover- able to us, but are obliged to refer them to his sovereign eignty may be seen; for to what else can it be ascribed, will and pleasure; who gives no account of his matters that such and such men should be born, and brought to the children of men. into the world, in such an age, and not before? and that 3. The will of God appears to be sovereign in things they should go out of the world at the time, in the man- sacred, spiritual, and religious, both with respect to anner and circumstances they do? and that there should gels and men: as that some of the angels should be elect, be such difference in men, in their states, conditions, and confirmed by the grace of Christ, in the estate in and circumstances in life; that some should be rich, and which they were created, and be preserved from apostaothers poor? riches and poverty are both at the disposal sy, while a large number of them were suffered to rebel of God, as Agur’s prayer shows; and God is the mak- against God, and leave their first state; for which they er both of the rich and poor, not only as men, but as were cast down from heaven to hell, and reserved in rich and poor men: and to what can this difference be chains of darkness, to the judgment of the great day, and attributed, but to the sovereign will of God? some are no mercy shown to any of them; as has been to many of raised to great honour and dignity; and others live in a the apostate race of Adam. What other reason can be very low, mean, and abject state; but promotion comes given for all this, but the sovereign will of God? neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the Among men, some God loves, and some he hates; South; but God puts down one, and sets up another, as and that before good or evil are done by them; some he he pleases; and these differences and changes may be chooses to everlasting happiness, and others he passes observed in the same persons, as in Job, who was for by and rejects; he has mercy on some, and hardens othmany years the greatest man in all the East, and, on a ers; just as he, in his sovereignty, wills and pleases: some sudden, was stripped of all his riches, honour, and glory, are redeemed from among men, by Christ, even out of and upon a dunghill; and then, after a while, restored every kindred, tongue, people, and nation, whom he to twice the wealth and riches he had before. So Ne- wills, and resolves to save; when others are left to perish buchadnezzar, the greatest monarch then on earth, and in their sins: for which no other cause can be assigned when in the most flourishing circumstances, and in the than the sovereign will and pleasure of God. According height of his grandeur, was degraded from his digni- to which also e dispenses his gifts to men, and these of ty, as a man and monarch, and driven to dwell among different sorts; some fitting for public service, as to minbeasts, and to become and live like one of them; and, isters of the gospel; and such he makes whensoever he after all, was restored to his reason, and to his throne, pleases, and gives them gifts differing from one another; and former greatness; which extorted from him such an to some greater to others less, to some one talent and acknowledgment of the sovereign will of God as per- to others five, dividing to every man individually as he haps is no where more strongly expressed; “He doth ac- wills, according to his sovereign pleasure: the means of cording to his will in the army of heaven, and among grace, the ministry of the word and ordinances, in all the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, ages, have been disposed of, just as seemed good in his or say unto him, what dost thou?� (Dan. 4:35). Some sight; for many hundreds of years, God gave his word
10 12 OF THE LOVE OF GOD to Jacob, and his statutes unto Israel, and other nations being a most pure and simple act, free from all confusion knew them not; and these have been since distributed and disorder; yet there being some things said and done among the Gentiles, sometimes in one place, and some- by him, which are similar to affections in intelligent betimes in another; and how apparent is the sovereignty ings, they are ascribed to him; as love, pity, hatred, anof God in favouring our British Isles, these Isles afar off, ger, &c. from which must be removed everything that is with the gospel, and gospel ordinances, when so great carnal, sensual, or has any degree of imperfection in it; a part of the world is denied them, and is covered with and among these, Love stands in the first place; and this Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan darkness? and still more enters so much into the nature of God, that it is said, it is manifest in that these outward means are, to some, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). So the Shekinah, or the “the savour of life unto life, and to others the savour of divine majesty and glory, is, by the Jews, called rQHK death unto death.” The special gifts of the grace of God, “Love”; and the heathens give the same name to God; are bestowed upon men according to the sovereign will Plato expressly calls him “Love”: and Hesiod speaks of of God; of his own will he regenerates some, and not love as the fairest and most beautiful among the immorothers; calls by his grace, whom he pleases, when and tal gods. In treating of this divine attribute, I shall, by what means, according to his purpose; reveals the 1. Consider the objects of it. And, gospel, and the great things of it, to whom he would 1. The principal object of the love of God is himself. make them known; and hides them from the wise and Self-love is in all intelligent beings; nor is it discomprudent; “even so Father”, says Christ, “for so it seemed mendable, when it Is not carried to a criminal excess, good in thy sight”; nor does he give any other reason for and to the neglect of others; none are obliged to love othsuch a conduct. The graces of the Spirit of God are given ers more than themselves, but as themselves (Matthew to some, and not to others; as for nstance, repentance, 22:39). God first and chiefly loves himself; and hence he which is a grant from God, a gift of Christ, was bestowed has made himself, that is, his glory, the ultimate end of on Peter, who denied his Lord; and withheld from Ju- all he does in nature, providence, and grace, (Prov. 16:4; das, that betrayed him. Faith, which is the gift of God, Rom. 11:36; Rev. 4:11; Eph. 1:6) and his happiness lies all men have it not; to some it is only given, when others in contemplating himself, his nature and perfections; in have a spirit of slumber, eyes that they see not, and ears that love, complacency and delight he has in himself; that they hear not. In short, eternal life, which is the free nor needs he, nor can he have anything out of himself gift of God, through Christ, is given only by him, to as that can add to his essential happiness. many as the Father has given him, and to these alike; the The three divine Persons in the Godhead mutually penny, which seems to mean eternal happiness, in the love each other; the Father loves the Son and the Spirit, parable, is given to those who were called to labour in the Son loves the Father and the Spirit, and the Spirit the vineyard in the eleventh hour, as to those who bore loves the Father and the Son. That the Father loves the the heat and burden of the day: some do much service Son, is more than once said, (John 3:35, 5:20) and the for Christ, and others very little, and yet all share the Son is sometimes called the well beloved and dear Son same glory. To what can all this be resolved, but into the of God, (Matthew 3:17, 17:5; Col. 1:13) he was from all sovereign will of God? who says, “Is it not lawful for me eternity as “one brought up with him”; and was loved by to do what I will with my own?” (Matthew 20:15). But him before the foundation of the world; and that with a though the will of God is sovereign, it always acts wise- love of complacency and delight; as he must, since “he is ly: some sovereign princes will things rashly and fool- the brightness of his glory, the express image of his perishly; but God wills nothing contrary to his perfections son”, and is of the same nature, and possessed of all the of wisdom, justice, holiness, &c. and his will is therefore same perfections with him, (Prov. 8:30, 31; John 17:24; called “counsel”, and “the counsel of his will” (Isa. 25:1, Heb. 1:3; Col. 2:9) yea, he loved him as his Servant, as 46:10; Eph. 1:11). the Mediator, in his state of humiliation, and obedience, and under all his sufferings, and on account of them; Chapter 12 and even while he bore his wrath as the sinner’s sureOF THE LOVE OF GOD ty, he was the object of his love, as his Son, (Isa. 42:1; Next to the attributes which belong to God, as an Matthew 3:17; John 10:17) and now he is at his right intelligent Spirit, to his understanding and will, may be hand, in human nature, he looks upon him with delight, considered, those which may be called “Affections”; for and is well pleased with his sacrifice, satisfaction, and though, properly speaking, there are none in God, he righteousness. The Father loves the Spirit; being the
12 OF THE LOVE OF GOD 11 very breath of him, from whence he has his name, and II. Give some instances of the love of God, particuproceeding from him, and possessing the same nature larly to chosen men in Christ, and who share in the love and essence with him (Job 33:4; Ps. 33:6; John 15:26; 1 of Father, Son, and Spirit. John 5:7). The Son loves the Father, of whom he is beThe love of the Father has appeared in thinking of gotten, with whom he was brought up, in whose bosom them, thoughts of peace; in contriving and forming the he lay from all eternity, as his own and only begotten scheme of their peace and reconciliation in Christ, from Son; and as man, the law of God was in his heart; the eternity, (2 Cor. 5:18, 19) in choosing them in him from sum of which is to love the Lord God with all the heart the beginning, even from everlasting, to salvation, by and soul; and as Mediator he showed his love to him by him, (2 Thess. 2:13) in putting their persons into the an obedience to his commandment, even though that hands of Christ, and securing and preserving them in was to suffer death for his people (Ps. 40:8; John 14:31, him, (Deut. 33:3; Jude 1:1) in laying up all blessings in 10:18; Phil. 2:8). The Son also loves the Spirit, since he him for them, and blessing them with them so early, proceeds from him, as from the Father, and is called the (Eph. 1:3, 4) in appointing Christ to be the Saviour of Spirit of the Son, (Gal. 4:6) and Christ often speaks of them; in providing, promising, and sending him into him with pleasure and delight, (Isa. 48:16, 61:1; John the world, to work out their salvation, (John 3:16; 1 John 14:16, 17, 26, 15:26, 16:7, 13). And the Spirit loves the 4:9, 10; Titus 3:4, 5) in the pardon of their sins through Father and the Son, and sheds abroad the love of them the blood of Christ, (Isa. 38:17; Eph. 1:7) in their adopboth in the hearts of his people; he searches into the tion, (1 John 3:1) in their regeneration and conversion, deep things of God, and reveals them to them; and takes (Jer. 31:3; Eph. 2:4, 5) and in the gift of eternal life unto of the things of Christ, and shows them unto them; and them (Rom. 6:23). so is both the Comforter of them, and the Glorifier of The love of the Son of God appears in espousing the him (1 Cor. 2:10-12; John 16:14). persons of the elect, those sons of men, in whom his 2. All that God has made is the object of his love; delights were before the world was, (Prov. 8:31; Hosea all the works of creation, when he had made them, he 2:19) in becoming their Surety for good, undertaking looked over them, and saw that they were good, “very their cause, engaging to do the will of God with that good”, (Gen. 1:31) he was well pleased, and delighted cheerfulness he did; which was to work out their salvawith them; yea, he is said to “rejoice in his works”, (Ps. tion, (Ps. 40:6-8; Heb. 7:22) in assuming their nature, in 104:31) he upholds all creatures in their beings, and is the fullness of time, to redeem them, work out a rightthe Preserver of all, both men and beasts; and is good eousness, and make reconciliation for them, (Gal. 4:4, to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works, (Ps. 5; Rom. 8:3, 4; Heb. 2:14, 17) by giving himself a Sacri36:6, 145:9) and particularly, rational creatures are the fice for them; laying down his life on their account; and objects of his care, love, and delight: he loves the holy shedding his blood for the cleansing of their souls, and angels, and has shown his love to them in choosing the remission of their sins (Eph. 5:2, 25; Titus 2:14; 1 them to happiness; hence they are called “elect angels”, John 3:16; Rev. 1:5). (1 Tim. 5:21) by making Christ the head of them, by The love of the Spirit, of which mention is made in whom they are confirmed in the estate in which they (Rom. 15:30) appears in his coming into the hearts of were created, (Col. 2:10) and by admitting them into his God’s elect, to convince them of sin and righteousness, presence, allowing them to stand before him, and be- and to comfort them; by showing the grace of the covhold his face, (Matthew 18:10) yea, even the devils, as enant, and the blessings of it to them; by opening and they are the creatures of God, are not hated by him, but applying the promises of it; and by shedding abroad as they are apostate spirits from him: and so he bears the love of God and Christ in their hearts; by implanta general love to all men, as they are his creatures, his ing every grace in them, and drawing them forth into offspring, and the work of his hands; he supports them, exercise; by witnessing to their spirits their adoption; preserves them, and bestows the bounties of his provi- by assisting them in every duty, particularly in prayer, dence in common upon them, (Acts17:28, 14:17; Mat- making intercession for them, according to the will of thew 5:45) but he bears a special love to elect men in God; and in being the earnest, pledge, and seal of them Christ; which is called his “great love”, (Eph. 2:4) whom to the day of redemption (John 16:7, 8; Rom. 8:15, 16, he has chosen and blessed with all spiritual blessings in 26, 27; Eph. 1:13, 14). him, (Eph. 1:3, 4) and which love is distinguishing and 3. It may be proper next to consider the properties discriminating (Mai 1:1, 2; Rom. 9:11, 12). I go on to, of the love of God towards chosen men, which will lead
12 12 OF THE LOVE OF GOD more into the nature of it. And, el because he loved them, or would love them; and for 1. There is no cause of it out of God; there is no mo- no other reason, (Deut. 7:7, 8) in like manner he loves tive or inducement to it in them, no loveliness in them his spiritual and mystical Israel. to excite it; all men by nature are corrupt and abomi2. The love of God is eternal, it does not commence nable; rather to be loathed than loved; and those that in time, it is without beginning, it is from eternity: this are loved, are no better than others, all being under sin; is evident from the love of God to Christ, which was and are, “by nature, children of wrath, as others”; as de- before the foundation of the world; and with the same serving of that as those that are not loved, (Rom. 3:9; love he loved him, he loved his people also, and as early, Eph. 2:3) what loveliness or beauty is in saints, is owing (John 17:23, 24) and from various acts of love to them to the righteousness of Christ, imputed to them; which in eternity; as the election of them in Christ, which supis that comeliness that is put upon them, whereby they poses the love of them, (Eph. 1:4) the covenant of grace are made perfectly comely; and to the sanctifying grace made with them, in which, grants of grace, and promof the Spirit, whereby they are all glorious within, and ises of glory, were made before the world began; and appear in the beauties of holiness: so that all this is the Christ was set up as the Mediator of it from everlasting: fruit of the love of God, and not the cause of it. Nor can all which are strong proofs of love to them (2 Tim. 1:9; it be any love in them to God, that is the cause of his to Titus 1:2; Prov. 8:22, 23). them; for they had no love in them when Christ died for 3. The love of God is immutable, unalterable, and them; nor until regenerated by the Spirit of God; and invariable; it is like himself, “the same today, yesterday, when they love him, it is because he first loved them, and for ever”: and, indeed, God is love; it is his nature; it (1 John 4:10, 19) and though Christ is said to love them is himself; and therefore must be without any variablethat love him, and the Father is said to love them too; ness, or shadow of turning. It admits of no distinctions, yet this must not be understood of the first love of God by which it appears to alter and vary. Some talk of a love and Christ, unto them, nor of the first display of it; but of benevolence, by which God wishes or wills good to of further and larger manifestations of it to them; and is men; and then comes on a love of beneficence, and he descriptive of the persons who are most certainly and does good to them, and works good in them: and then a evidently the objects of their love; but not as being the love of complacency and delight takes place, and not till cause of it, (Prov. 8:17; John 14:21, 23, 16:27). Nor are then. But this is to make God changeable, as we are: the good works the cause of this love; for this, at least, in one love of God admits of no degrees, it neither increases instance of it, was before either good or evil were done, nor decreases; it is the same from the instant in eternity (Rom. 9:11, 12) and in other instances it broke forth to- it was, without any change: it is needless to ask whether wards them, and broke in upon them while they were it is the same before as after conversion, since there were yet in their sins, and before they were capable of per- as great, if not greater gifts of love, bestowed on the obforming good works, (Rom. 5:8; Titus 3:3, 4; Eph. 2:2-4) ject loved, before conversion, as after; such as the gift of and how can it be thought, that since the best works of God himself, in the everlasting covenant; the gift of his men are so impure and imperfect as to be reckoned as Son to die for them when in their sins; and the gift of filthy rags, that these should be the cause of God’s love the Spirit to them, in order to regenerate, quicken, and to men? no, even faith itself is not; that “is the gift of convert them; heaven itself, eternal life, is not a greater God”, and flows from electing love, and is a fruit and gift than these; and yet they were all before conversion. evidence of it (Eph. 2:8; Acts 13:48; Titus 1:1). God loves There never were any stops, lets, or impediments to this men, not because they have faith; but they have faith love; not the fall of Adam, nor the sad effects of it; nor given them, because God loves them; it is true indeed, the actual sins and transgressions of God’s people, in a that “without faith it is impossible to please God”; that state of nature; nor all their backslidings, after called by is, to do those things which are pleasing in his sight; but grace; for still he loves them freely, (Hosea 14:4) for God then the persons of God’s elect, may be, and are, well foreknew that they would fall in Adam, with others, pleasing to God, in Christ, before faith, and without it. that they would be transgressors from the womb, and In short, the love of God purely flows from his good will do as evil as they could; yet this hindered not his taking and pleasure; who “is gracious to whom he will be gra- up thoughts of love towards them, his choice of them, cious”, (Ex. 33:19) it is that pure river that proceeds out and covenant with them. Conversion makes a change of the throne of God, and of the Lamb, as an emblem of in them; brings them from the power of Satan to God, sovereignty, (Rev. 22:1) as God loved the people of Isra- from darkness to light, from bondage to liberty; from
13 OF THE GRACE OF GOD 13 fellowship with evil men to communion with God: but ness” (Ex. 15:11). And if he is so glorious and graceful, it makes no change in the love of God; God changes his viewed in one perfection of his, what must he be when dispensations and dealings with them, but never chang- all put together, and he is viewed in them all, his goodes his love; he sometimes rebukes and chastises them, ness, wisdom, power, justice, truth, &c.? and therefore but still he loves them; he sometimes hides his face from is to be loved above all, and with all the heart, soul, and them, but his love continues the same, (Ps. 89:29-33; Isa. strength; and hence it is that good men, as Moses, Da54:7-10) the manifestations of his love are various; to vid, and others, desired to see the “face” of God, so far as some they are greater, to others less; and so to the same could be admitted, and they were capable of, (Ex. 33:14, persons, at different times; but love in his own heart is 15; Ps 27:7, 8, 105:4) and what a lovely sight had Moses invariable and unchangeable. of him in the clift of the rock, when he caused his good4. The love of God endures for ever; it is an ever- ness to pass, and proclaimed his name, a God gracious lasting love, in that sense, (Jer. 31:3) it is the bond of before him, (Ex. 33:19, 34:6) and to see the lovely face of union between God and Christ, and the elect; and it can God, so far as creatures are capable of, is the happiness never be dissolved; nothing can separate it, nor separate of angels, will be the happiness of saints to all eternity from it (Rom. 8:35, 38, 39). The union it is the bond of, (Matthew 18:10; 1 Cor. 13:12; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 22:4). is next to that, and like it, which is between the three The grace of God may be considered as displayed divine persons (John 17:21, 23). The union between in acts of goodness towards his creatures, especially soul and body, may be, and is dissolved, at death; but men; and is no other than his free favour and good will neither death nor life can separate from this; this lov- to men; it is no other than love unmerited and undeingkindness of God never departs; though health, and served, exercising and communicating itself to them in wealth, and friends, and life itself may depart, this never a free and generous manner; which they are altogether will, (Isa. 54:10) whatever God takes away, as all the said unworthy of. There are many things called grace, and things may be taken away by him, he will never take the grace of God, because they flow from his grace, and away this, (Ps. 89:33) having loved his own which were are the effects of it; as the gospel, (2 Cor. 6:1; Gal. 5:4; Tiin the world, he loves them to the end, to the end of tus 2:11) gifts for preaching the gospel, (Rom. 12:6; Eph. their lives, to the end of time, and to all eternity (John 3:7, 8) the blessings of grace, as justification, adoption, 13:1). &c. (Ps 84:11; 2 Tim. 1:9) in each of the graces of the Spirit in regeneration, as faith, hope, love, &c. (2 Cor. Chapter 13 9:8; Gal. 2:9) but then these are to be distinguished from OF THE GRACE OF GOD grace in God; as the Giver and the gift, the Fountain and This attribute may be considered, both as it is in God the streams, the Cause and the effect. The grace of God himself, and as displayed in acts towards his creatures; arises from the goodness of his nature, and not from anas in himself, it is himself; it is his nature and essence; he ything in the creature; and is exercised according to his is “Grace” itself, most amiable and lovely; hence so often sovereign will and pleasure; “I will be gracious to whom called “gracious” in Scripture: it is a character expressive I will be gracious” (Ex. 33:19). It is “independent” of all of the amiableness and loveliness of his nature: and thus merit and worth in creatures, and of all works done by he was before he had, and would have been for ever the them, and is always opposed to them in scripture, (Rom. same if he never had displayed his grace towards any 11:6; 2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 2:8, 9) it is quite entirely “free”, as of his creatures. And this appears from the loveliness Austin said long ago, grace is not grace, unless it is altoof Christ, the image of the Father, the express image of gether free. As an attribute, it wholly and only “resides” his person; who, to them that believe, is exceeding pre- in God; and is only in men, as to the sense and percepcious, and altogether lovely; when they behold his glory, tion of it, and the effects of it upon them and in them, as the only begotten of the Father; the fulness of grace in (Rom. 5:5, 8:37) and it is only exhibited and displayed him, as Mediator; the purity, perfection, and beauty of through Christ, in and through whom men are elected, his human nature, as in union with his divine person, in adopted, redeemed, justified, pardoned, regenerated, which he was in high favour with God and men. Now if and sanctified (Eph. 1:4-7; Rom. 3:24; Titus 3:5, 6). And Christ, under these several considerations, is so grace- though there are various gifts and blessings, and effects ful and amiable, he must needs be infinitely so, whose of it, it is but one in God: there is but one Fountain, image he is, and who has all virtues, all excellencies, all from whence they all flow. With respect to creatures, perfections in him; he is said to be “glorious in holi- the objects of it, some distinctions are made concerning
14 13 OF THE GRACE OF GOD it, as of natural and “supernatural” grace. Natural grace Christ; all is “to the glory of his grace”, (Eph. 1:6) and seems to sound oddly, and unless guarded against, may is what appears, shines forth, and is illustrious in every tend to confound nature and grace together; but rightly part and branch of their salvation; and therefore they applied and understood, may be admitted. What Adam are said to be “saved by grace”, (Eph. 2:5, 8) as will be enjoyed, in a state of integrity, above the rest of creatures, evident by an enumeration of them. was all owing to the unmerited kindness and goodness 1. The grace of God appears in the election of men of God, and so may be called grace; as the image of God, to everlasting life; and is therefore called the election in which he was created; his holiness and righteousness; of grace; and is denied to be of works, (Rom. 11:5, 6) knowledge and understanding; the communion he had and, indeed, this act of the grace of God, passed in his with God, and his dominion over the creatures; and yet eternal mind, before any works were done, good or evil, it was all natural: so many things which his posterity and without any consideration of them, (Rom. 9:11) nor in their fallen state enjoy, being altogether owing to the can any works truly good be done, until men become free favour and undeserved goodness of God, may be the workmanship of God in regeneration; and then they called grace: to have a being, and life, and the preserva- are the fruits and effects of divine preordination, (Eph. tion of it, and the mercies of life, as food and raiment, 2:10) nor were men chosen in Christ because they were which men are altogether unworthy of, are gifts and fa- holy, but that they might be holy (Eph. 1:4). And sancvours; and so may bear the name of grace, though only tification, both internal and external, is a means fixed natural blessings. “Supernatural” grace includes all the in the decree of election; and is as absolute, uncondiblessings of grace bestowed upon any of the sons of tional, and certain, as the end, salvation, (2 Thess. 2:13) fallen Adam; and all the graces of the Spirit wrought in and all the true holiness that is, has been, or will be in them; and which will easily be allowed to be supernat- the world, flows from electing grace; had it not been ural. But that Adam had any such, in a state of inno- for this, the world had been as Sodom and Gomorrah cence, for my own part, I cannot see; though some are (Rom. 9:29). Election is also irrespective of faith; that is of this opinion. Again, grace is, by some, distinguished likewise a means fixed in the decree, and most certainly into “common” or “general”, and “special” or “particu- follows upon it, and is therefore called the faith of God’s lar”. “Common” or “general” grace, if it may be so called, elect (2 Thess. 2:13; Acts 13:17; Titus 1:1). It remains, is what all men have; as the light of nature and reason, therefore, that election must be ascribed to the free fawhich every man that comes into the world is enlight- vour, good will, and pleasure of God, to his unmerited ened with; the temporal blessings of life, the bounties grace and goodness, the true spring and cause of it; and of providence, called the riches of God’s goodness, or to show forth which is the design of it (Rom. 9:18, 23; grace, (Rom. 2:4) which all partake of, more or less; and Eph. 1:4-6). the continuance and preservation of life; for “God is 2. The grace of God is displayed in the covenant the Saviour of all men” (1 Tim. 4:10). “Special” or “par- he has made with his elect in Christ; this, with great ticular” grace, is that which is peculiar to some persons propriety, is commonly called by us, “the covenant of only; such as electing, redeeming, justifying, pardoning, grace”; though the phrase is not in so many words to adopting, and sanctifying grace, (Rom. 8:30) and this be met with in scripture; it is founded in the unmerited special grace is, by some, distinguished into “imputed” grace and mercy of God; and is made to establish and and “inherent” grace: “imputed” grace is the holiness, secure the glory of it (Ps 89:2, 3). It was free grace that obedience, and righteousness of Christ imputed to jus- moved God to make one, to which he was not otherwise tification: “inherent” grace is what is wrought in the obliged: it was free grace that called, and that moved heart, by the Spirit of God, in regeneration. But these Christ to engage with his Father in it, and which “gave” distinctions, with others, only concern the effects of the him to be the covenant of the people, (Ps 40:6, 7; Isa. grace of God; that itself is but one in God; and is sure, 42:6) it was free grace that stored it with all spiritual firm, and immutable, as his nature is; and is the efficient blessings; by which it appears to be ordered in all things cause, source, and spring, of all good things enjoyed for the glory of God, and the good of his covenant peoby men; and should be acknowledged, as it was by the ple; and these are grants of grace, made in it to them in apostle, “By the grace of God I am what I am”, (1 Cor. Christ, (2 Tim. 1:9) and it was free grace that filled it 15:10) whether as a man, or as a minister, or as a Chris- with exceeding great and precious promises; promises tian; and this is the final cause, or ultimate end of all, of grace and glory, made before the world began; and that God does towards, upon, or in his elect, through which made them sure by an oath to the heirs of them;
13 OF THE GRACE OF GOD 15 and who become heirs of them, not through any merit appointing Christ to work out, and bring in everlasting of theirs, but through the undeserved favour of God to- righteousness; and in sending him in the likeness of sinwards them. ful flesh to do it, (Dan. 9:24; Rom. 8:3, 4) and it was free 3. The grace of God is very manifest in the adop- grace moved Christ to come to do this will of God, and tion of the chosen ones; the cause of which is, the good “become the end of the law for righteousness”; and it pleasure of the will of God; and the end of it, the glo- was free grace in God the Father to accept of this rightry of his grace (Eph. 1:5, 6). God, the adopter, stood eousness, in the room and stead of sinners, and to imnot in any need of sons; he had a Son, an only begot- pute it, without works, unto them, as their justifying ten Son, a beloved Son, the dear Son of his love, who righteousness; and in appointing faith to be the recipialways pleased him, his Son and Heir; the adopted are ent of it, that so it might clearly appear to be of grace; as altogether unworthy of such a favour, being “by nature the persons who are justified by it, being in themselves children of wrath, as others”; and these men, and not ungodly, more clearly shows it, (Rom. 4:5, 6, 16). angels, who are only servants in the family, to wait upon Justification is always denied to be of works; and the the children, the heirs of salvation, and minister unto righteousness by which men are justified, is represented them: and not all the race of men, only some, and these as a gift, a free gift, a gift by grace, as faith that receives no better in themselves than others; and therefore their it also is (Rom. 3:20, 28, 5:15-17; Eph. 2:8). adoption cannot be ascribed to anything else but the 6. Pardon of sin is according to the riches, fulness, free and distinguishing grace of God; and into which and freeness of the grace of God, (Eph. 1:7) the promise relation they were taken before time, in the everlasting of it in the covenant is free, absolute, and unconditional, covenant; and Christ was sent to open the way, that they (Heb. 8:12) the proclamation of it in the gospel, bore might receive this blessing of grace, and which they do witness to by all the prophets, is the same, (Ex. 34:6; by faith, the gift of God; for faith does not make them, Acts 10:43, 13:38) the blood of Christ was shed freely only manifests them to be the sons of God; which rela- for it; and though it cost him dear, it is all of free grace to tion is the ground of their having the Spirit, faith, and sinners, without money and without price. Christ is exevery other grace (Gal. 4:4-6). alted as a prince to “give” it; and God, for Christ’s sake, 4. The grace of God shines very illustrious in re- frankly forgives all trespasses, (Acts 5:31; Luke 7:41, 42; demption by Jesus Christ; free grace set infinite wisdom Col. 2:13) and it is vouchsafed to the worst and chief of to work, to find out a proper person to be the redeemer sinners, (1 Tim. 1:13) and to great backsliders, ungrateand saviour; and it found out Christ to be the ransom, ful persons, guilty of sins of omission and commission, and provided him to be the sacrifice, (Job 33:24) his in- (Hosea 14:4; Isa. 43:22-25). carnation was owing to God’s good will to men, (Luke 7. The grace of God is abundantly evident in re2:14) and his mission to his unmerited love, (1 John generation, calling, and sanctification; God regenerates 4:10) and it was by the grace of God he tasted death for men by his grace, and of his own good will and pleasmen, (Heb. 2:9) and this for sinners, the chief of sinners, ure, (James 1:18) and he calls them by his grace, and ungodly men, enemies in their minds by wicked works. according to it, (Gal. 1:15; 2 Tim. 1:9) and which always In short, all that are redeemed and saved, whether Old becomes effectual. There are some things which bear or New Testament saints, are saved by the grace of God the name of grace, which fall short of true sanctifying and Christ (Acts 15:11). grace, at least what men call so, as “restraining grace”; 5. The grace of God is very conspicuous in the jus- whereby some of God’s people, before conversion, and tification of men before God, and acceptance with him; some others, are kept from the commission of gross sins which, in the strongest terms, is said to be of grace, to others fall into; and external “gifts” of grace, as a rationbe by “his grace”, the grace of God, and “freely” by his al knowledge of the gospel, historical faith, and even grace, and that through the redemption that is in Christ gifts for the public ministry; which persons may have, (Titus 3:7; Rom. 3:24). Free grace, by infinite wisdom, and yet be unknown by Christ, and be castaways. And found out the way whereby sinful men might be just also what some call “sufficient grace”, though wrongwith God; which otherwise never could have been; ly; rather it should be called, insufficient; for that can namely, by not imputing their trespasses to them, but never be sufficient which is ineffectual; as the means of to Christ, the Surety free grace provided, whereby “God grace often are. There are other distinctions of grace, is just, and yet the justifier of him that believes in Je- which are not very material, yet, if rightly explained sus”, (2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 3:25, 26) free grace appears in and understood, may be allowed, as grace “preparing,
16 14 OF THE MERCY OF GOD anticipating, operating”, and “co-operating”, and “sub- though the same, are regarded under different considsequent”. “Preparing” grace must be understood not of erations. Love pitched itself originally on objects, in the preparations, and previous dispositions in men, and of pure mass of creatureship, as unfallen, though it continthem, to the grace of God; but what is of God himself, ues with them in their fallen state, and through all the who prepares the heart, and makes it, by his grace, good imperfections of this life, to eternal happiness; mercy ground, fit to receive the seed of the word cast into it, supposes its objects miserable, and so fallen: in order of where it becomes the ingrafted word (Prov. 16:1; Mat- operation; for though they are together in God, the one thew 13:23). “Anticipating” grace is that in which God as early as the other, yet love seems to work by mercy, goes beforehand with men, and enlightens their minds, and mercy from it; the objects being viewed as dead in teaches and instructs them in the knowledge of them- sin, and for it, love stirs up mercy to quicken them with selves, and of Christ, and guides, directs, and draws Christ, and in themselves; God, “who is rich in mercy, them to him, (John 6:44, 45) “Operating” grace is that for the great love”, &c. (Eph. 2:4, 5). Mercy also differs by which God works in men, both to will and to do, of from grace; for though all mercy is grace, because it is his good pleasure (Phil. 2:13). “Co-operating” grace is free, unmerited, undeserved; yet all grace is not mercy: that by which men act, being acted or wrought upon, much grace and favour are shown to the elect angels; and by which they run, being drawn (Song 1:4). And in the choice of them in Christ; in the preservation of “subsequent” grace is that by which the work of grace is them from the apostasy others of their species fell into; carried on, and performed until the day of Christ (Phil. in constituting Christ the head of them, by whose grace 1:6). Though there seems to be no great need of these they are confirmed in the state in which they were credistinctions; the most proper epithet of the grace of ated; and in their being indulged with the presence of God, as displayed in regeneration, calling, and conver- God, and communion with him; they always beholding sion, is, that it is “efficacious”; it never fails of its effects: his face in heaven; all which is abundant grace, but not and it is always “persevering” grace, and is never lost mercy; since they never were miserable, and so not obor comes to nothing; but issues in everlasting salvation; jects of mercy. The things to be considered respecting and all is owing to unmerited goodness. Every grace im- this attribute, are, planted in regeneration, flows from the free favour and 1. The properties of it, which will lead more clearly good will of God. into its nature, and the knowledge of it. Faith is a gift, a free grace gift, a distinguishing gift; l. Mercy is natural and essential to God; yea, it is not given to all men, only to whom the Lord pleases his nature and essence: hence he is often described as (Eph. 2:8 2; Thess. 3:2). Repentance is a grant of God’s “merciful”, (Ex. 34:6; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 116:5) indeed it is grace, a gift of Christ, and a blessing of the covenant not to be considered as a passion, or affection in God, (Acts 5:31, 11:18; Ezek. 36:26). as it is in men; attended with grief and sorrow, with Hope is a good hope through grace; what men, in a anguish and anxiety of mind for the party in misery; state of nature, are without; and which God, of his free which become the more vehement, the nearer the relagrace, gives (2 Thess. 2:16). The same may be said of tion is, and the stronger the love and affection is, bore to every other grace, love, humility, patience, &c. the object. Hence the stoic philosophers denied mercy 8. Lastly, Eternal life is the free gift of God, through to belong to good men, and so not to God; and, indeed, Christ, a free grace gift through him (Rom. 6:23). The it does not, in such sense, unless by an anthropopathy, introduction of all the Lord’s people into the enjoyment or speaking after the manner of men; since he is free of it, will be attended with shouts and acclamations, from all passion and perturbation of mind. The Latin crying “grace, grace, unto it!” (Zech. 4:7) and which will word “Misericordia” signifies, as one observes, having be the employment of saints to all eternity; and so the another’s misery at heart; but not a miserable heart, or great and ultimate end of God in their salvation, will be one made so by the misery of another, especially as apanswered, namely, “the glory of his grace” (Eph. 1:6). plied to God; with whom it is no other than a propensity of his will to help persons in distress, whether in a Chapter 14 temporal or spiritual way; and this is as essential to him OF THE MERCY OF GOD as is his goodness; of which it is a branch: and thereThe Mercy of God differs, in some respects; both fore as God is essentially, originally, independently, and from the love and grace of God; from the love of God in underivatively good, so is he in like manner merciful. its objects, and order of operation: in its objects; which, This is one of the perfections which are in some meas-
14 OF THE MERCY OF GOD 17 ure imitable by creatures; “Be ye merciful as your Father 3. The mercy of God is infinite; as his nature is inis merciful” (Luke 6:36). The Socinians deny that mercy finite, so are each of his attributes. His “understanding is essential to God, supposing that mercy and justice are is infinite”, (Ps. 147:5) and so his knowledge, wisdom, opposite, whereas they are not, not even in men; a man justice, holiness, and goodness, and likewise his mercy; may be just, and yet merciful, merciful and yet just: and it is so in its nature, and in its effects; and this appears not caring to allow justice to be essential to God, which both by bestowing an infinite good on men, which is they think they must grant, if mercy is; which would Christ, who is the gift of God, and owing to the love, establish the doctrine of Christ’s satisfaction, and make grace, and mercy of God; and who though, as man, is that necessary which they do not choose to embrace. finite; yet, in his divine person, infinite; and as such But though mercy is natural and essential to God, it is given, (Isa. 9:6) and by his delivering them from an innot naturally and necessarily bore towards, and exer- finite evil, sin: sin, as an act of the creature, is finite; but cised on every object in misery: for then all would share objectively, infinite, as it is committed against God, the in it, that are in misery, even all wicked men and devils; infinite Being, (Ps. 51:4) and therefore is not only inwhereas it is certain they do not; but it is guided in the finite with respect to number, (Job 22:5) but with reexercise of it by the love of God; and is governed and spect to its object, and also with respect to punishment influenced by his sovereign will; who “hath mercy on for it; the demerit of it is eternal death; and this cannot whom he will have mercy”, (Rom. 9:15, 18) just as om- be endured at once, or answered for in a short time; it nipotence is essential to God, but is not necessarily put is carried on “ad infinitum”, without end; and therefore forth to do everything it could; but is directed and guid- spoken of as everlasting and eternal. Now mercy has ed by the will of God; who does whatsoever he pleases. provided for the forgiveness of sin, and for the deliver2. Mercy being essential to God, or his nature and ance of men from the punishment of it, and from being essence, nothing out of himself can be the cause of it; liable to it (Heb. 8:12). for then there would be a cause prior to him, the Cause 4. The mercy of God is eternal; the eternity of merof himself, and that would be god, and not he: the mis- cy is expressed in the same language as the eternity of ery of a creature is not the cause of mercy in God; who God himself; and, indeed, since it is his nature, it must is not to be moved and wrought upon as creatures are; be as eternal as he himself is; see (Ps. 90:2, 103:17) it is being a most simple act, and having no passive power to from everlasting, as his love is; which is to be proved work upon; besides, was this the case, all must partake by the instances of it, called his “tender mercies”, which of mercy, since all are miserable; which they do not; see “have been ever of old”, or from everlasting, (Ps. 25:6) (Isa. 27:11) nor are the merits of the creature, or works the council and covenant of peace were in eternity; in of righteousness, the cause of mercy; these are opposed which the scheme of reconciliation to God was formed, to each other in the business of salvation, (Titus 3:5) and the method of it settled, which supposed them ennor are those to whom mercy is shown, more deserv- emies, and so considered them as fallen creatures, and ing than those to whom it is not; and oftentimes less objects of mercy: and, indeed, the covenant of grace, deserving, or more vile and sinful; see (Rom. 3:9; Eph. which was from everlasting, is a superstructure of mer2:3; 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Tim. 1:13). Nor are even the merits cy, (Ps. 89:1-3) and since mercy is from everlasting, not of Christ, or his obedience, sufferings, and death, the anything in time can be the cause of it; not the misery cause of mercy in God; for they are the fruits and effects of the creature, by the fall of Adam, nor works of rightof it, and flow from it; it is “through the tender mercy of eousness done after conversion; nor the obedience and our God, that the dayspring from on high hath visited sufferings of Christ; things in time: and the mercy of us”, (Luke 1:78) that is, it is owing to mercy, that Christ, God is to everlasting, in its fruits and effects; it is kept who is meant by “the dayspring from on high”, became with Christ, and for him, the Mediator of the covenant; incarnate, obeyed, suffered, and died, in our room and into whose hands are put all the promises and blessings stead, and wrought out salvation for us. The mercy of of mercy; called, therefore, “the sure mercies of David”, God arises from the goodness of his nature, from his (Ps. 89:24, 28; Isa. 55:3) even temporal blessings, which special love to his people, and from flow from the mercy of God, are new every morning, his sovereign will and pleasure; who, as he loves and are daily continued; and spiritual ones always rewhom he pleases, and “is gracious to whom he will be main; the mercy of God never departs from his peogracious”; so “he has mercy on whom he will have mer- ple, notwithstanding their backslidings; and though he cy” (Ex. 33:19). chides them for them, and hides his face from them, yet
18 13 OF THE GRACE OF GOD still he has mercy on them (Ps. 89: 30-33; Isa. 54:6-10; kind to the unthankful and unholy, and makes the sun Jer. 3:12,14). Hence, to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on 5. The mercy of God is immutable, as he himself is, the just and on the unjust (Luke 6:35; Matthew 5:45). He and his love also; and therefore the objects of it are not preserves and supports all men in their beings, and so is consumed, (Mai. 3:6) it is invariably the same in every the Saviour of all, and especially of them that believe, (1 state and condition into which they come; it is, as the Tim. 4:10) and gives them the necessaries of life, food Virgin Mary expresses it, “from generation to genera- and raiment, and all things richly to enjoy, both for contion”, without any variation or change (Luke 1:50). venience and pleasure: yea, even the devils themselves 6. It is common to all the three divine persons, Fa- partake of mercy, in some sense; for though God has ther, Son, and Spirit; for as there is one common undi- not spared them, so as to save them, and not condemn vided essence, of which each equally partakes, the same them; yet he has given them a kind of reprieve, and redivine perfections and attributes belong to them, and so served them to the judgment of the great day; so that this of mercy: mercy is ascribed to the God and Father they are not yet in full torments, as their sins have deof Christ, (1 Peter 1:3) and to our Lord Jesus Christ; not served; and as God punishes none more but less than only as Man and Mediator, but as the true God and eter- their sins require, this may be reasonably supposed to nal life; to whose mercy we are to look for it, (Jude 1:21) be the case of devils, even hereafter. and to the blessed Spirit, who helps the infirmities of the As to the special mercy of God, none are the objects saints, “and makes intercession for them with groanings of that but elect men, who are called “vessels of mercy”, which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26). (Rom. 9:23) because they are filled with it, even with 7. Mercy is displayed only in and through Christ; all spiritual blessings, which flow from it, and which God out of Christ is a consuming fire; it is only in him are bestowed on them according as they are chosen in God proclaims his name, “a God gracious and merci- Christ, (Eph. 1:3, 4) and so particularly regeneration, ful”; he is the mercy seat, and throne of grace, at which which is according to the abundant mercy of God, they men obtain mercy and find grace; he is the channel are favoured with, being the elect of God, (1 Peter 1:2, through which it flows, and through whom it, in its ef- 3) and these, as they are redeemed by Christ, share in fects, is conveyed to the sons of men: they are right who the special mercy and goodness of God; and therefore cast themselves not on the absolute mercy of God out of are under obligation to say, with wonder and thankfulChrist; but upon his mercy, as displayed in him, as the ness, “the Lord is good; his mercy endures for ever”, (Ps. Publican did (Luke 18:13). In a word, it is represented, 107:1, 2) and especially, being effectually called by the as great, large, and ample, and very abundant; we read grace of God, they appear to be the objects of mercy; of a “multitude” of tender mercies; and God is said to be then they who “had not obtained mercy”, did not know “rich” and “plenteous” in it; as will appear more fully by their interest in it, nor actually enjoyed the blessings of considering the objects and instances of it (Ps. 103:11, it, “now have obtained mercy”; are blessed both with 51:1; 1 Peter 1:3; Eph. 2:4; Ps. 86:5). knowledge of interest in it, and with the open possesII. The objects of mercy may be next observed: and sion of the blessings of it (1 Peter 2:10). These are dethat this may appear in a plain and clear light, it will be scribed sometimes by them “that call upon” the Lord, proper to remark, that the mercy of God is general and to whom he is plenteous in mercy, (Ps. 86:5) by “them special: with respect to the general mercy of God, all that love him, and keep his commandments; to whom creatures are the objects of it; “the Lord is good to all, he shows his mercy”, (Ex. 20:6; Neh. 1:5; Dan. 9:4) and and his tender mercies are over all his works”, (Ps. 145:9) by them that fear him, and towards whom his mercy there is not a creature in all the earth but partakes of it; always is (Ps. 103:11, 13, 17). hence says the Psalmist, “The earth, O Lord, is full of thy Not that calling upon God, love to him, and obsermercy!” (Ps. 119:64) even the brute creation, the mute vance of his commands, and the fear of him, are the animals, share in it; it is owing to mercy that they are causes of his mercy to them, since that is prior to all preserved in their beings, (Ps. 36:5, 6) and that a pro- these, and is the cause of them; but these describe the vision of food is made for their sustenance; and who persons who openly, and manifestly, share in the mercy sometimes are in great distress, and when they cry to of God, and to whom the effects of it have been applied, God he gives them their food, (Joel 1:18-20; Ps. 104:27, and who may expect a continuance of it, and larger dis28, 147:9; Job 38:41). All men, good and bad, partake coveries and displays thereof to be made unto them; as of the providential goodness and mercy of God; he is well as they show that the mercy of God is special and
13 OF THE GRACE OF GOD 19 distinguishing, and yet that it is not limited to any fam4. The forgiveness of sin is another instance of the ily or nation, but is enjoyed by all that love and fear the mercy of God, to which it is frequently ascribed (Ps. Lord in every nation (Acts 10:34, 35). 51:1; Dan. 9:9; Luke 1:77, 78). God has promised it in III. The instances of mercy, to the objects of it, are covenant, as the effect of his mercy; “I will be merciful many and various. to their unrighteousness” (Heb. 8:12). He has set forth 1. It appears in election: it is, indeed, a controver- Christ, in his purposes, to be the propitiation for the sy among divines, whether election is an act of love or remission of sins; and has sent him, in time, to shed his of mercy: I am inclined to be of the opinion of those blood for it, (Rom. 3:25) and it is the mercy of God, who take it to be an act of love, and not mercy; as God which is the foundation of hope of it; and encourages chose literal Israel, because he loved them, (Deut. 7:7, sensible sinners to ask, and through which they obtain 8) so spiritual Israel are first beloved, and then chosen, it (Ps. 103:8; Luke 18:13; 1 Tim. 1:13). (2 Thess. 2:13) “electio praesupponit dilectionem”; but 5. The mercy of God is displayed in regeneration, to then, though the decree of election flows from love, and which that is ascribed in (1 Peter 1:3) and it is wondernot mercy; yet God has in it decreed to show mercy; he ful and special mercy, to quicken a sinner dead in treshas resolved within himself, saying, “I will have mercy, passes and sins; to enlighten such that sit in darkness, and will save”; and therefore in this decree he has ap- and in the shadow of death; to deliver from the bondage pointed them not unto wrath, which they deserve, but of Satan those, that are led captive by him at his will; to obtain salvation by Christ; which supposes them fall- to snatch them as brands out of the burning, and save en creatures, and so objects of mercy; for the decree of from everlasting fire; to bring men out of a pit, wherein election may be distinguished into the decree of the end there was no water, no relief and comfort, and in which and the decree of the means: with respect to the end, they must otherwise die; and to reveal Christ to them, the glory of God, men were considered as unfallen, in and in them, the hope of glory; and give them a good the pure mass out of which God designed to make them hope, through grace, of being for ever happy. These are for himself: but with respect to the means, redemption some of the great and good things which God does for by Christ, and faith in him, the Redeemer, and sancti- his people in the effectual calling, having compassion fication of the Spirit; here they were considered as fall- on them. en creatures; and so, with propriety, those chosen ones 6. Complete salvation, and eternal life itself, flow may be called vessels of mercy. from the mercy of God; he saves, “not by works of right2. The covenant of grace is a display of the mercy eousness, but according to his mercy”, (Titus 3:5) and of God, as before observed; it is built upon mercy, and when he shall put his people into the full possession of built up with it; it is stored with it, and is full of it. Mercy salvation, then they shall find and obtain mercy in that called Christ to engage in it, and set him up as the Me- day, even in the day of judgment, when they shall go diator of it, and came before him with the blessings of into life eternal; and therefore are now directed to look goodness: the provisions of Christ, as a Redeemer and unto the mercy of Christ for it, (2 Tim. 1:18; Jude 1:21). Saviour in it; of forgiveness of sins through his blood; and of reconciliation and atonement by his sacrifice; Chapter 15 and of regeneration and sanctification by his Spirit, are OF THE LONGSUFFERING OF GOD so many displays of mercy. The longsuffering of God, the same with his for3. Redemption itself is a signal instance of the mer- bearance and patience, arises from his mercy, is a discy of God. Mercy resolved upon the redemption and play of it, or is one way in which mercy shows itself; salvation of the elect; being viewed as fallen in Adam, and so, by the Cabalistic Jews, it is said to belong to and as sinners, mercy provided a Redeemer and Sav- the predicament of “Chesed”, or mercy, as they express iour of them, and laid their help upon him; mercy called themselves; and it may be observed, that wherever God Christ to undertake the work of redemption, and en- is said to be longsuffering, he is represented as gracious gaged him in it; mercy sent him, in the fulness of time, and merciful, or as of great mercy and kindness; and by to visit them, and perform it; mercy delivered them up this attribute, as by them and with them, he is pleased into the hands of justice and death, in order to obtain to describe and make known himself, for the encourit, and it is most illustriously glorified in it; “mercy and agement of faith and hope in him, (Ex. 34:6; Num. truth have met together”, (Ps. 85:10) yea, Christ himself, 14:18; Ps. 86:15) and therefore the consideration of it in his love and pity, has redeemed his people (Isa. 63:9). very properly follows that of mercy. The Hebrew word
20 15 OF THE LONGSUFFERING OF GOD D’SK “pX which literally signifies “long of both nostrils”, he will, is not owing to any negligence, dilatoriness, or is sometimes rendered “longsuffering”, as in the places slackness in God, concerning the promise of it, but to referred to; and sometimes “slow to anger”, (Neh. 9:17; the longsuffering of God; which has been eminently Ps. 103:8) and to which the Greek words paKpoGupeco, displayed with respect to the people of God. and paicpoGupia, in the New Testament, answer, (Rom. 1. In the saints of the Old Testament dispensation, 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9, 15) the allusion is to the nose, the seat which time is expressly called “the forbearance of God” of anger, which restrains or shows it, as it is long or con- (Rom. 3:25). The case stood thus; Christ became the tracted. Surety for them in eternity, engaged to assume their God is sometimes called, “the God of patience”, nature, pay their debts, and make satisfaction for their (Rom. 15:5) not only because he is the author and ob- sins: this was notified immediately after the fall of Adam, ject of the grace of patience, and that is grateful to him; (Gen. 3:15) but it was four thousand years from thence but because he is patient, or longsuffering in himself, to the time fixed in Daniel’s prophecy, “to finish transand towards his creatures, and is a pattern of patience to gression, to make an end of sin, to make reconciliation them; for this is one of the attributes of God, in which for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness”; to he may in some measure be imitated (see Eph. 4:1,2 Col. the fulness of time when Christ should come to redeem 3:12). This is not to be considered as a quality, accident, all his people, and particularly, to obtain the redemption passion, or affection in God, as in creatures; who bear of transgressions that were under the first Testament, with patience things grievous, distressing, and torturing (Dan. 9:24; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 9:15). Now all this time was to them, (Col. 1:11) but it is the very nature and essence a time of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering with of God, which is free from all passion and perturbation, God, in respect to his people under this dispensation; from all suffering, grief, and pain; it springs from his he did not stir up his wrath, and execute it on them; but goodness, and is as essential to him as that, and is joined reserved it for his Son, their Surety; he forbore to inflict with it, (Rom. 2:4) it is no other than a moderation of the punishment on them their sins deserved; he did not his anger, a restraint of that, a deferring the effects of it, impute sin to them, place it to their account, charge it at least for a while, according to his sovereign will; it is on them, and demand of them satisfaction for it; but an extension and prolongation of mercy for a season; placed it to his Son’s account, and expected satisfaction for mercy is always in it and with it; and in this it dif- from him: he accepted of the sacrifices of slain beasts, as fers from it, that the mercy of God is from everlasting vicarious ones in their stead, though they had no true to everlasting; but the longsuffering of God, as to the value, nor real efficacy in them, to atone for sin; only exercise of it, is only for a time, until some certain end were typical of Christ’s sacrifice; and were to continue, is answered, and in which it issues; either in the damna- and did, until that should be offered up; God waited till tion and destruction of the wicked, when they are fitted he should come and make his soul an offering for sin; for it, (Rom. 9:22) or in the salvation of God’s elect, (2 and, upon his credit, bore with them, and bestowed the Peter 3:15) for it is exercised towards both, till each take blessings of his grace on them: they were justified by place; which will be distinctly considered. him on the foundation of Christ’s righteousness to be 1. The longsuffering of God is exercised towards wrought out; and their sins pardoned, through his atonhis chosen people; they are the “us” towards whom he ing sacrifice to be offered up; they were saved by the is said to be “longsuffering”, (2 Peter 3:9) even who are grace of the Lord Jesus, even as we are, and we as they; called beloved, (2 Peter 3:8) not only beloved of the they were carried to heaven, and glorified, before the apostle, and by one another, but by the Lord; and the payment of their debts were made by their Surety, beelect according to the foreknowledge of God, (1 Peter fore satisfaction for their sins was given to justice, and 1:2) for to the same persons are both epistles written; before the actual redemption of them was obtained. All and therefore being the beloved and chosen of God, it which, as it shows the trust and confidence God put in was his will that none of them should perish, but come his Son, so his forbearance and longsuffering towards to repentance; even all of the same character, and of the Old Testament saints; which also has appeared, and same company and society, the whole election of grace; does appear. and until everyone of these are called and brought to 2. In and towards everyone of his people in their repentance, God is, and will be, longsuffering towards state of unregeneracy, in every age and period of time, them; and longsuffering to the world for their sakes; or of whatsoever nation, or under whatsoever dispenwherefore Christ’s not coming to judgment sooner than sation they be; the Lord bears with them, while in a
15 OF THE LONGSUFFERING OF GOD 21 state of nature, and waits patiently all that while, to be open and swallow them up, as it did Dathan and Abigracious to them (Isa. 30:18). There was much grace in ram. This can be attributed to nothing else but, to his his heart, in his Son, and in his covenant, laid up for patience, forbearance, and longsuffering: and by the them. This is abundantly displayed in conversion, when multitude of his mercies bestowed upon them, who there is an abounding and a superabounding of it. But have many of them, more than other men; and which then the calling and conversion of them is according to are called “the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and purpose; and as there is a time for every purpose, for longsuffering”; (see Job 21:7-13; Ps. 73:4-7; Rom. 2:4) the execution of it, so for this; and till that time comes, and by granting to many of them the outward means the Lord waits, forbears, suffers much and long; he does of grace, which are despised and rejected by them; and not cut them off in their sins, as they deserve; but saves by deferring his judgments on them; which, because them, and sometimes from very imminent dangers, to they are not speedily executed, their hearts are set in be called, (2 Tim. 1:9) and with some he bears and waits them to do evil; they are more and more hardened, and a long time, who are called at the ninth and eleventh promise themselves impunity in sin. Now the ends of hours, and, as the thief on the cross, at the last day and God’s thus dealing with them, are partly for his own hour of his life; and he waits, as it were, in a longing glory; “to show his wrath, and make his power known”; manner; speaking after the manner of men, “When will to vindicate him from all cruelty and injustice, when he it once be?” (Jer. 13:27). righteously executes his wrath, and exerts his power in 3. The apostle Paul is a remarkable instance of their destruction: as in the instance of Pharaoh, (Rom. God’s longsuffering; which was exercised towards him 9:17, 22) and partly for the sake of his own people who throughout all his blasphemy of Christ, his persecution dwell among them, that they may not suffer with them; of his people, and the injuries he did unto them; he wait- thus he would have spared Sodom, had there been ten ed, through all, to be gracious to him; his eye was upon righteous men in it, for their sakes: and he forbears to him, and his heart was towards him; and hence such take vengeance on those that have shed the blood of his notice is taken of him in that state, before the account saints, until the number of his elect, in like manner, is is given of his calling; (see Acts 7:58, 8:1, 3, 9:1) yea, he fulfilled; and he spares a wicked world from being burnt himself says, “For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me up and destroyed, until all his chosen ones are brought first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for to repentance, (Gen. 18:32; Rev. 6:11; 2 Peter 3:9) and a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him another end is for their sakes, that they may be rendered to life everlasting”, (1 Tim. 1:16) meaning the people of inexcusable, and the execution of wrath on them at last, the Jews, in the latter day: his sense seems to be this, appear just and righteous (Rom. 2:1, 4, 5). that as Christ bore much, and exercised great longsufThere are many instances of the patience, forfering towards him, and at last showed him mercy; so bearance, and longsuffering of God, with respect to he would bear with, and show much longsuffering to the wicked; as in the men of the old world, when the the people of the Jews, of which that towards him was a longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, (1 Pepattern, and which should issue in their salvation, as it ter 3:20; see Gen. 6:3) and in the inhabitants of Sodom, had in his; when “all Israel shall be saved”, (Rom. 11:26) daring sinners, who had first hints of God’s displeasGod’s longsuffering towards them is very great and very ure, yet had mercy shown them, a respite for a while, remarkable; as it was towards him; though they are un- and then destroyed by fire from heaven, (Gen. 13:13, der the marks of his displeasure, he has not stirred up all 14:11, 21, 18:21, 19:24) in Pharaoh, refusing to let Ishis wrath, so as to cut them off from being a people; but rael go, whom God had spared some time, beginning has reserved them for future times, and good things for with lighter judgments, then executed heavier ones; and them, and waits to be gracious to them. at last drowned him, and his host, in the Red Sea, (Ex. II. The longsuffering of God is exercised towards 5:2,7 &c., Ex. 14:17, 18, 28) in the people of Israel, in the the ungodly, even towards “the vessels of wrath” whom wilderness, whose manners God suffered and bore with, he “endures with much longsuffering”, till they are “fit- and was grieved with them forty years, (Acts 13:18) in ted to destruction”, (Rom. 9:22) and this appears by his the Amorites and Canaanites, until their sin was full, supporting them in their beings, notwithstanding their and till the land itself would bear them no longer; but grievous provocations of him; which are such, that it is spewed them out of it, (Gen. 15:16; Lev. 18:28) in the amazing he does not at once strike them, dead, as he Gentile world, during their times of ignorance, (Acts did Ananias and Sapphira; or that the earth does not 17:30) in fruitless professors of religion, signified by the
22 16 OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD. barren fig tree, (Luke 13:6-9) and in antichrist, during mercy, grace, longsuffering, truth, faithfulness, justice, the time of his reign, and no longer, (Rev. 2:21, 13:6, and holiness (Ex. 33:19, 34:6,7). The goodness of God is 18:8). not distinct from his essence; for then he must be compounded of that, and his essence; which is contrary to Chapter 16 his simplicity: he is good in and of himself, and by his OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD. own essence; and not by participation of another; for if Having treated of the love, grace, mercy, and longsuf- he was not good of himself, and by his own essence, but fering of God, it will be proper to take some notice of of and by another; then there would be some being both his “goodness”, from whence they all proceed; for that better than him, and prior to him; and so he would not God loves any of his creatures, in the manner he does, be the eternal God, nor an independent Being, since he bestows favours upon them, shows mercy to them, and must depend on that from whence he receives his goodbears much with them, is owing to the goodness of his ness; nor would he be the most perfect being, since what nature. communicates goodness to him must be more perfect Hence one of his names and titles by which he is de- than he: all which, to say of God, is very unbecoming. It scribed and made known, is, that of Good; “thou, Lord, remains, then, that he is essentially good; is so in and of art good”, (Ps. 86:5) and in many other places; when himself, by his own nature and essence. God proclaimed his name before Moses, this was one 2. Goodness only belongs to God; he is solely good; part of it, “abundant in goodness” (Ex. 34:6). Philo says, “There is none good but one; that is, God”; is the asserGod is the name of goodness. And our English word tion of Christ, (Matthew 19:17) which is to be underGod seems to be a contraction of the word “Good”; stood not to the exclusion of the Son, and Spirit of God, or, however, is the same with the German “Gott” and who are, with the Father, the one God; and so equal“Godt”; which came, as it is thought, from the Arabic ly good: but with respect to creatures, who are not of word “Gada”, which so signified; so that the German themselves inderivatively and independently good; this and English name of the divine Being, in common use, is only true of God. Whatever goodness is in creatures, is taken from the attribute of his goodness. The name it is all from him, who made them good originally; or the heathens give to their supreme deity, is “optimus”, put into them, or bestowed upon them, what goodness the “best”; he being not only good, as they supposed, they have: what goodness there is in the elect angels, and better than others, but the best of beings. Our Je- who never sinned; what goodness was in Adam, in a hovah, the true God, is superlatively good; good in the state of innocence; what goodness is in any good man, highest degree, good beyond all conception and expres- who partakes of the grace of God, or is or will be in the sion. Cotta in Cicero, charges Epicurus with taking away saints in heaven, is all from God; every good and perfrom God the property of the best and most excellent fect gift comes from him; nor have creatures anything nature, by denying the grace and goodness of God; for but what they receive from him; he is the source and what, says he, is better, or what is more excellent, than fountain of all, and therefore all goodness, originally, goodness and beneficence? It is a common notion, Sal- ultimately, and solely, is to be referred to God. lustius says, that God is good; and Simplicius calls him, 3. God is the “summum bonum”, he is t’ ayaGov, as the Goodness of goodnesses. Concerning the goodness Plato calls him, “the Good”; the chiefest good; the sum of God, let the following things be observed: and substance of all felicity. Unwearied have been the 1. Goodness is essential to God; without which he pursuits of men to attain this; but have always failed, would not be God; he, is by nature good. The evil god when they place it or expect it in anything out of God, of Cerdon and Marcion is not the true God; and this and short of him: innumerable have been the sentigoodness being wanting in heathen deities, whatever ments of men about it. Solomon seems to have reduced pretensions may be made unto it, excludes them from them to these three, wisdom, riches, and pleasure; and the claim of deity; yea, goodness is itself the nature and he made an experiment of them, what happiness could essence of God; as he is love itself, wisdom itself, &c. be enjoyed in them, as far as a king, a wise man, and a so he is goodness itself, and it is himself, it includes his good man, could go; and when he had finished it, prowhole nature and essence. When God promised Mo- nounced all “vanity and vexation of spirit”. God only can ses that he would make “all his goodness” pass before make men happy; he is the Father of mercies, the Founhim, it was not a single attribute only which was pro- tain of all goodness, the Source of all felicity. There may claimed and made known; but the several attributes of be a show of happiness in such and such outward cir-
16 OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD 23 cumstances of life, some may be in, with respect to the cations of it to creatures, it is the same as ever, and reabove things; but there is no solidity in them; he is the mains an inexhaustible fountain. only “happy man whose God is the Lord”, (Ps. 144:127. The goodness of God is communicative and dif15) wherefore good men, who are sensible of the vanity fusive; he is good, and he does good; “the whole earth of the creature, and all creature enjoyments, pant after is full of his goodness”, (Ps. 119:68, 33:5) there is not a him, and are importunately desirous of the enjoyment creature but what partakes of it, more or less, in some of him, and cannot be satisfied without him, placing all manner or another; but then it is communicated actheir happiness in him: while others are saying, “Who cording to his sovereign will and pleasure. A heathen will show us any good?” taking up their contentment writer argues the goodness of God from the existence of in worldly good; they say, “Lord, lift thou up the light the world; since it is by the goodness of God the world of thy countenance upon us”; which gives the greatest is, God must be always good. pleasure, joy, and satisfaction, that can be had (Ps. 4:6,7 8. This attribute of goodness belongs to each divine 52:1,73:25). person, Father, Son, and Spirit; when Christ says, as 4. There is nothing but goodness in God, and noth- quoted above, “there is none good but one, that is, God”, ing but goodness comes from him; there is no iniquity it is to be understood not of God personally considered, in him, nothing evil in his nature, no unrighteousness or of one person, to the exclusion of the other; but of in any of his ways and works; he is “light” itself; all pu- God essentially considered: and the design of Christ rity, holiness, truth, and goodness; “and in him is no was, to raise the mind of the young man to whom he darkness at all”, of sin, error, and ignorance, (1 John 1:5) spoke, to an higher opinion of himself than what he nor does anything that is evil come from him; he is not had; even of him, not as a mere man, whom, as such, he the author of sin, nor does he impel, nor persuade to it, called good; but as the true God, to whom this epithet, nor tempt with it; but strongly forbids it, under pain of in its highest sense, only belongs: and it is predicated his displeasure, (James 1:13, 14) indeed, his decree is of the Father, (2 Chron. 30:18) of Christ, (John 10:11) concerned about it; for it could not be, he not willing it and of the Spirit, (Neh. 9:20; Ps. 143:10) and they must, by his permissive will; but then, though he suffers it to indeed, in the same sense, be good, since they partake be, he overrules it for good; as in the case of the selling of one common undivided nature and essence (1 John of Joseph, (Gen. 50:20) the evil of punishment of sin, or 5:7). of affliction, is from God; in this sense “there is no evil The goodness of God, with respect to each of the in a city, and the Lord hath not done it”, (Amos 3:6) but objects of it, may be considered as general and special; then punishment of sin is a good, as it is a vindication in like manner as his love and mercy. There is the genof the honour of divine justice, and of the righteous law eral goodness of God, which is as extensive as his merof God; and the affliction of the people of God is for cy; “The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are their good; and all evil things of that kind work for their over all his works” (Ps. 145:9). All creatures are made good, both here and hereafter. by God, and as they came from him, they are all very 5. God is infinitely good; as his understanding, wis- good; there is a goodness put into them, whereby they dom, knowledge, and other perfections of his, are in- become good and beneficial to others, and especially to finite; so is his goodness; he is abundant in it; it is so men: there is a goodness in inanimate creatures, in the great, that it cannot be said how great it is; finite minds metals and minerals of the earth; in the luminaries of cannot comprehend it; the height, depth, length, and the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars; they are pleasant, breadth of it, are unmeasurable; it knows no bounds good to look at, their form, magnitude, and splendour: nor limits; it is so perfect that nothing can be added to they are profitably good; by their light they themselves it: the goodness of a creature extends not to God, nor is are seen, and other objects; by this men see to walk and it capable of communicating any to him, “who hath first work, and do the several businesses of life; and through given to him”, &c. (Rom. 11:35, 36). their kind and benign influences shed on the earth, 6. God is immutably and eternally good; the good- many precious fruits are brought forth, and the advanness of creatures is but as the morning cloud, and early tages of them all men share in; God “makes his sun to dew, which soon passes away; of which there has been rise on the evil and on the good”, (Matthew 5:45) which instances in angels and men: but the goodness of God is one great instance of his general goodness. In the vegis invariably the same, and endures continually; and etable creation there is a large display of the goodness though there has been, and are, such large communi- of God; some herbs, plants, and trees, being good for
24 17 OF THE ANGER AND WRATH OF GOD medicine, others for food, both for the cattle of the field coveries of the love of God, and have more communion and for the service of men (Ps. 104:14, 15). Among the with him. All which must be referred to his sovereign animals, some are for one use, and some for another, good will and pleasure. and many are meat for men; and even every creature of Many are the acts and instances of divine goodness God is good, and to be received with thanksgiving, (1 to the people of God in common. It has been observed, Tim. 4:4) and all creatures, both men and beast, partake that the attribute of “goodness”, and the epithet of “good”, of the goodness of God in the preservation of them, (Ps. belong to each of the three divine persons, Father, Son, 36:6; 1 Tim. 4:10) and in the provision of food for them and Spirit; and they have each of them manifested their (Ps. 104:27,28, 145:15, 16, 147:8; Acts 14:16, 17, 17:25, goodness in acts of it. 28; 1 Tim. 4:8). Jehovah the Father, has displayed his goodness to There is indeed a difference made by God in the his special people, in his good designs towards them, distribution of his general goodness, in the effects of it; and thoughts of them; in setting them apart for himwhich are not imparted to all creatures alike. God gives self, his own glory, and their good; in laying up all good more of his goodness to men than to brutes; since he things for them in Christ, and in the covenant of his gives them reason and understanding; whereby they be- grace; in making promises of good things to them, both come more knowing, and to be wiser than the beasts of for this life, and that which is to come; and in bestowthe field, and the fowls of the heavens, (Job 35:11) and ing good gifts on them, the gift of himself, the gift of angels have a greater share of his goodness than men; his Son, and the gift of his Spirit; and all the blessings who excel as in strength, so in wisdom and knowledge; of goodness, as of adoption, justification, pardon of sin, hence man is said to be made a little lower than the an- &c. and all the graces of the Spirit, as the gift of faith, of gels, (Ps. 8:5) and some men have a greater share in the repentance, of a good hope of eternal life, and also the general and providential goodness of God than others; gift of eternal life itself. Jehovah the Son, has manifested either have larger endowments of mind, are the wise his goodness to the same persons; in becoming a Surety, and prudent of the world; or have more comeliness, and undertaking for their good; in partaking of their strength, and health of body; or are possessed of greater nature, in which good will to men was expressed; and in wealth and riches (Eccl. 9:11). working out the great and good work of their redempThe special goodness of God, as to the effects of it, tion and salvation; he is the good Shepherd, and has elect angels, and elect men, only partake of, which is shown himself to be so, by laying down his life for the sovereign and distinguishing; God is good to the elect sheep, and by providing a good fold, and good pasture angels, in choosing them in Christ, preserving them for them: he is, and has been, in all ages, the Fountain of from apostasy, confirming them in the estate they were goodness and grace to all his people, for the supply of all created in, granting them nearness to himself, and many their wants; and he ever lives to speak a good word, and other peculiar favours; when the angels that sinned are intercede for good things for them. Jehovah the Spirit, is not spared by him, but are reserved to judgment (1 Tim. good unto them, as a Teacher, Sanctifier, and Comforter 5:21; 2 Peter 2:4). Elect men, the spiritual and mystical of them, as a Spirit of adoption, grace, and supplication; Israel of God, have a share in his special goodness; “tru- as the author of the good work of grace in them; as the ly God is good to Israel”, (Ps. 73:1) and that in a very guide of them through this world; and as the earnest distinguishing manner, as he is not to reprobates; “the and pledge of their future glory, and a sealer of them up election hath obtained” all the special blessings of good- unto the day of redemption. ness, grace here, and glory hereafter; light, life, and happiness; while “the rest” are “blinded”, (Rom. 11:7) they Chapter 17 are made to differ from others thereby in time, and to OF THE ANGER AND WRATH OF GOD all eternity; and yet among them there are different disBesides the love and kindness of God, his grace, faplays of divine goodness in the present state; some have vour, and good will, his mercy, pity, and compassion; greater spiritual gifts for usefulness than others; some and his longsuffering and forbearance; which flow from have larger measures of grace; though they have all the the goodness of his nature; there are other things to be same grace, yet not to the same degree; they have all considered, which may come under the notion of affecalike precious faith, but in some it is weaker, in others tions; as anger, wrath, hatred, &c. The anger and wrath stronger; and some have more spiritual light in the Gos- of God are often used promiscuously in Scripture, to pel, and more spiritual peace and joy, and larger dis- signify the same thing, and yet they sometimes seem
17 OF THE ANGER AND WRATH OF GOD 25 to be distinct; and according to our notion of them, as there was no sin, nor was he conscious of any, (Mark in men, they may be distinguished: anger is a lower and 3:5) and so there may be in the divine mind, without an lesser degree of wrath, and wrath is the height of anger; imputation of weakness or sin. Anger in God is no other and accordingly I shall distinctly consider them, as in than a disgust with sin, and with sinners, on account God. of it; it is often said in Scripture, that such and such a 1. The Anger of God. And shall, first, show that it be- thing displeased him, or was evil, and not right in his longs to God; and in what sense, and on what account. sight (Num. 11:1; 2 Sam. 11:27; Ps. 60:1; Isa. 59:15). All And, secondly, with whom he is angry; or on whom his sin is displeasing to God; he cannot take any pleasure in anger is exercised. it, nor look upon it with delight; it is so contrary to his First, That Anger belongs to God, or may be pred- nature, and repugnant to his will, he cannot but have icated of him. This is denied by some philosophers of an aversion to it, and an abhorrence of it; and there are the Cynic and Stoic sects, because it is a passion; they some sins more especially which provoke him to anger; allow grace, good will, and beneficence in God to men, as the sins against the first table of the law, particularbut not anger; this they suppose to be a weakness, and ly idolatry; which, of all sins, is the most provoking to even a sort of madness, and what is unbecoming a wise him: since it strikes at his very being, and robs him of and good man, and much more unbecoming Deity. The his glory; see (Deut. 32:16, 21; Judg. 2:12, 13; 1 King Epicureans deny that either is in God; neither favour 16:33). Likewise distrust of the power and providence and good will, nor anger and wrath; for they imagine of God, murmuring at it, and complaining of it; which he has no concern in the affairs of men, and neither re- was often the case of the Israelites; and by which they gards their good actions, nor their bad ones; and so is provoked the Lord to anger; so perjury, false swearing, neither pleased nor displeased with them; and is neither the taking of the name of God in vain, and blasphemy kind and favourable to them; nor is angry with them, of it; profanation of the Lord’s day, and neglect of his nor resents what is done by them. But the scriptures word, worship, and ordinances: and not these only, but everywhere ascribe anger to God; and often speak of it, sins against the second table of the law, are highly disas being kindled against particular persons, and against pleasing to God, and resented by him; as disobedience whole bodies of men; and give many particular instanc- to parents, murder, adultery, theft, false witness, covetes of it: to produce the whole proof of this, would be to ousness, and every evil thing (see Isa. 5:24, 25). Now transcribe a great part of the Bible. But then anger is to “who knoweth the power of God’s anger?” (Ps. 90:11) be considered not as a passion, or affection in God, as nothing can resist it, nor stand before it; not rocks and it is in men; and especially as it may be defined from mountains, which are overturned and cast down by it; the etymology of the Latin word for it “ira”, as given by nor the mightiest monarchs, nor the proudest mortals, a learned grammarian, deriving it from “ire”, “to go”; as nor the stoutest and adamantine hearts; none can stand if a man, when in anger, goes out of himself; and when before God when once he is angry, (Job 9:5, 13; Ps. 76:7; he lays it down, returns to himself again; this cannot, in Nah. 1:6). any sense, be ascribed to God: rather it may be, as if it lb. Secondly, The objects of the anger of God, or was “ura”, and so is “ab urendo”, from burning; or rather on whom it is exercised. “God is angry with the wickfrom the Hebrew word mil which signifies to burn; and ed every day”, (Ps. 7:11) because they are daily sinning the anger of God is compared to fire in Scripture, and is against him; their whole lives are one continued series often said to be kindled; but then we are not to imagine, and course of wickedness; all they do is sin; their very when God is said to be angry, that there is any commo- actions in civil life, the ploughing of the wicked, is sin; tion or perturbation in God’s mind; that he is ruffled and all their religious services are but “splendida pecand discomposed, or that there is any pain or uneasi- cata”, “shining sins”, and so are displeasing to God, and ness in him, as in human minds; so it may be in finite resented by him; their sacrifices, brought with a wickcreated spirits, but not in an infinite and uncreated one, ed mind, without a right principle, and a right end, are as God is: and much less is this to be considered as a an abomination to him, (Prov. 21:4, 27) being in the criminal passion in him, as it too often is in men; for flesh, in an unregenerate state, they cannot please God, God is a pure and holy being; without iniquity: besides, nor do the things which are pleasing in his sight; being there may be anger in men without sin; we are exhort- destitute of the grace of God, and particularly of faith; ed to be angry and sin not, (Eph. 4:26) and it is certain “without which it is impossible to please him.” These, there was anger in the human nature of Christ, in whom though God is angry with them continually, yet they do
26 17 OF THE ANGER AND WRATH OF GOD not always appear under the visible and public tokens of when he afflicts them, in one way or another, then they his resentment; the “rod of God” is not on them; nor are apprehend he comes forth in anger against them; and they in trouble, as other men, and have more than heart “they have no soundness in their flesh, because of his can wish; oftentimes their families, flocks, and herds, anger; nor rest in their bones, because of their sins”, (Ps. increase; and they spend their days in health, wealth, 38:3) but when he takes off his afflicting hand, grants and pleasure, (Job 21:7-13; Ps. 73:3-12) and seem as his gracious presence, and manifests his pardoning love if they were the favourites of heaven, and think them- and grace, then they conclude he has turned himself selves to be such. But though God is slow to anger, as from the fierceness of his anger (Ps. 85:2, 3). Now this he is often described, moves slowly to express his anger; apparent anger, or appearance of anger, “endures but for yet he will most certainly do it in the issue of things; and a moment”, (Ps. 30:5) a very short space of time indeed; though men may promise themselves impunity in sin, though God hides his face from his people, and chides and fancy they shall have peace when they walk after them for their sins: yet he does not keep anger for ever: the imagination of their evil hearts, and add sin to sin; this is the criterion by which he is distinguished from yet at length God will not spare them; but his anger and other gods, in that he retains not his anger for ever, bejealousy shall smoke against them, and all the curses cause he delighteth in mercy, (Ps. 103:9; Mic. 7:18) and written in the law shall come upon them, (Deut. 29:19, in this the anger of God towards his people, differs from 20). his anger to wicked men, since the one is but for a moMoreover, God is angry with his own special people, ment, and the other is continual. holy and good men; we read of his anger being kindled II. The Wrath of God is the heat of his great anger, against Aaron and Miriam, for speaking against Moses; (Deut. 29:24) it is his anger not only kindled and inand against Moses and Aaron, for not sanctifying him censed, but blown up into a flame; it is the “indignation” before the children of Israel; insomuch that neither of of his anger, the “fury” and “fierceness” of it, (Isa. 30:30, them were admitted to enter the land of Canaan; and 42:25; Hosea 11:9) and it seems to be no other than his against David, Solomon, and others, for sins committed punitive justice, and includes his will to punish sinners by them. And this is not at all inconsistent with the love according to the demerit of their sins in strict justice; of God unto them: anger is not opposite to love; there his threatenings to do it, and the actual execution of may be anger in the nearest and dearest relatives; and it; which is the vengeance that belongs to him, and he where there is the most affectionate regard to each oth- will recompense; even his vindictive wrath, or vengeful er: the anger of Jacob was kindled against his beloved judgment; “What if God willing to show his wrath”, &c.? Rachel; a father may be angry with his son, and chastise (Rom. 9:22). Now the wrath of God may be considered, him for a fault, and yet dearly love him; and a son may be 1. As temporary, or what is executed in the present angry with a father, as Jonathan was with Saul, yet bear life; of which there have been many instances and exa true filial affection for him. God loves his people with amples, and there will be more; and a brief review of an everlasting and unchangeable love, and never alters them will give a more enlarged idea of the wrath of God. and varies in it; and yet may be angry, that is, displeased Not to take notice of the apostate angels, whom God has with them, and show his resentment at sin committed by cast down to hell; where, though they may not be in full them, by his chastisement of them, and still continue his torment, yet are dreadful instances of the wrath of God love to them; for even that is done in love. Besides, the against sin; since not one of them have been spared, anger of God towards them, is often only in their sense or have shared in pardoning grace and mercy. I shall and apprehension of it; when God goes forth towards only observe what examples of it have been, or will be, them, in some dispensations of his, which are not agree- among men. The first instance of it is in the condemnaable to them, they conclude he is angry with them; and tion of Adam, and all his posterity, for the first sin, and when these dispensations are varied, then they suppose for only one single sin of his. How great must that sin his anger is turned away from them, (Isa. 12:1) so when be! what sinfulness must there be in it! how greatly must he hides his face from them, and unbelief prevails, they the divine Being be incensed by it! in that, for it, he has interpret it, putting them away in anger, and shutting caused death, that is, his wrath to pass in judgment on up his tender mercies in anger, (Ps. 27:9, 77:9) when he him, and all his offspring; so that, in consequence of seems to turn a deaf ear to their prayers, and does not it, all the children of Adam are the children of God’s give an immediate answer to them; this they call being wrath. The next is the drowning of the old world, when angry against the prayer of his people, (Ps. 80:4) and full of violence and corruption; so that God repented he
17 OF THE ANGER AND WRATH OF GOD 27 had made man in it, and it grieved him to the heart; and Jesus Christ suffered and endured as the Surety of his in his wrath he determined to destroy man and beast in people, in their room and stead; when, their sins being it; and which he did, by bringing a flood on the world of imputed to him, were found on him, and he was stricken the ungodly. Then follows another, though not so gen- for them; the sword of justice was sheathed in him; the eral; but limited and restrained to a part of the world; vindictive wrath of God was poured forth upon him, to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and others of the the uttermost of the demerit of sin; God spared him not: plain; whose inhabitants being notorious sinners, pro- how inconceivably great must his wrath be against sin, voked the eyes of God’s glory to such a degree, that he when God spared not in the least his own dearly belovrained fire and brimstone from heaven upon them; and ed Son, but suffered him to be put to the most exquisite set them as an example and emblem of mens’ suffering pain, both in body and soul, for the sins of his people! the vengeance of eternal fire. The plagues inflicted on 2. There is the wrath of God that is yet to come: the the Egyptians, for not letting Israel go, when demanded Scriptures speak of future wrath; wrath that will take of them, is another instance of the wrath of God; for by place in the life which is to come; which in part, cominflicting these on them, he not only made a way to his mences at the death of wicked men; and will be comanger, to show it forth, as the Psalmist says; but, as he plete at their resurrection from the dead (Matthew 3:7; also observes, “he cast upon them the fierceness of his 1 Thess. 1:10). This is expressed by fire, than which anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble”, (Ps. 78:49, 50). nothing is more intolerable; even devouring fire and evThe children of Israel themselves often provoked the erlasting burnings, not to be endured; this is no other Lord to wrath; and brought it down upon them, for their than the curse of the law that is broken; which not only sins; as at Horeb, when they made the calf; at Taberah, reaches to this life, but to that which is to come; it is Massah, and Kibrothhattaavah, where they murmured the same with the second death; which lies in a sepaagainst the Lord, (Deut. 9:8, 19, 22) as they did likewise ration from God, and, in a sense of his hot displeasure; at the report of the spies, concerning the land of Canaan; it is called hell and hell fire; the word for which, in the when “God swore in his wrath, they should not enter New Testament, is taken from Gehinnom, or the valley into his rest.” And again, upon the affair of Korah, and of Hinnom; where the Jews burnt their children in sachis accomplices, when wrath went forth from the Lord, rifice to Molech; and which place, from the beating of and the plague began, (Num. 14:23, 16:46). Witness, drums in it, that the shrieks of the children might not also, each of their captivities; particularly their captivity be heard by their parents, was called Tophet; of which in Babylon, through their mocking at, and misuse of the the prophet says, as an emblem of hell fire, or the fire of prophets of the Lord; so that wrath arose against them; divine wrath; “Tophet is ordained of old-the pile thereof and there was no remedy; and their last captivity, and is fire, and much wood: the breath of the Lord, like a destruction, by the Romans; when wrath came upon stream of brimstone, doth kindle it”, (Isa. 30:33) which them to the uttermost; and under which wrath, and in is an awful representation of the wrath of God. And by which captivity they are to this day. Whenever the four whatsoever term this state of wrath is expressed, it is alsore judgments of God, the sword, famine, pestilence, ways spoken of as what will continue for ever: it is called and wild beasts, have been exercised in the world, as everlasting fire, everlasting punishment, everlasting dethey often have been; they are always in wrath; and these struction, “the smoke of torment, that ascends for ever with earthquakes, and such like uncommon events, are and ever”; and for the commencement of which, in its presignifications, and foretokens of greater wrath yet to full extent, there is a day fixed, called, “the day of wrath, come; and in a little while, the seven vials full of the and righteous judgment of God”; until which time God wrath of God, will be poured forth on antichrist, and on reserves wrath for his adversaries; it is laid up in store the antichristian states; and the judgment of God will with him, among his treasures, and will be ever laying come on Babylon in one day. And when the end of all out, and pouring forth. things is come, the earth, and all in it will be burnt with As to the objects of this wrath, seeing it is revealed fire, and the heavens melt away with fervent heat; the against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men; it day of the Lord will burn like an oven, and the wicked, lies against all that are unrighteous and ungodly; and as like stubble, will be burnt up by it, and will have neither all have sinned, and are under sin, all are “children of root nor branch left: all which will be expressive of the wrath”, (Eph. 2:3; Rom. 1:18, 3:9, 23) but there are some great wrath of God. But there is no greater instance of it, particularly described, on whom this wrath comes, and or what more fully demonstrates it, than what our Lord they are called “children of disobedience”, (Eph. 5:5, 6;
28 18 OF THE HATRED OF GOD Col. 3:5, 6) such who are disobedient to the light of na- are condemned unto it; they are really under the senture, rebel against it, and hold truth in unrighteousness, tence of wrath, condemnation, and death; they are obwhich that discovers; and so as they sin without law, noxious to the curse of the law, which is no other than they perish without law, (Rom. 1:18, 19, 21, 28, 2:12) the wrath of God; they are liable to it, and in danger and who also are disobedient to the law of God, break of it; and being so near it, how is it that they escape it, it, and are convicted by it, as transgressors, whom it and are secured from it? They are secured from it by the pronounces guilty, and is the ministration of condem- decree of God, who has appointed them not to wrath, nation and death unto them; and who are disobedient but to obtain salvation, (1 Thess. 5:9) which decree is to the gospel of Christ, obey not the truth, but obey unfrustrable by the oath of God, who has swore that he unrighteousness, and are slaves to their sinful lusts and will not be wrath with them, (Isa. 54:9) which is impleasures; on these come indignation and wrath, tribu- mutable: by the suretyship engagements of Christ for lation and anguish; even on every soul of man that does them, to bear it in their room; and till that was done, evil, (2 Thess. 1:8; Rom. 2:8, 9) they are also represented God forbore to execute the sentence; called the forbearas unbelievers: “He that believeth not the Son, shall not ance of God, (Rom. 3:25) by Christ’s actually bearing see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him”: he that the chastisement of their peace; by being made a curse does not believe that Christ is the Son of God, that he is for them, and enduring the wrath of God in their room; the Messiah and Saviour of men, the sentence of wrath, whereby he delivered them from wrath to come, (Ps. which the law has passed on him, as a transgressor of 89:38; 1 Thess. 5:10) and by his righteousness imputed that, remains; and since he denies divine revelation, to them, through which, being justified, they are saved rejects the gospel scheme, and disbelieves Christ as a from wrath, (Rom. 5:9) though even these persons may Saviour, and salvation by him, there is no help for him; have, at times, some apprehensions of the wrath of God; wrath is on him, and that without remedy, it must abide: as, particularly, under first awakenings, and convictions now it is not any sort of unbelief for which this wrath is, of sin; when the law works a sense of wrath in them, and abides; not for that which is through the want of the and leaves in them a fearful looking for of judgment and means of faith, such as in heathens; for “how shall they fiery indignation; when they flee to Christ, from wrath believe on him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. to come, and say, “Lord, save us, or we perish”; and af10:14, 17) nor which is through the want of the special terwards, when under the hiding of God’s face, or his afgrace of faith, which is the gift of God, and peculiar to flicting hand is upon them, they imagine that the wrath his elect, and which he only can give, and yet denies of God lies hard upon them, and his fierce wrath goes it; and which, without his grace vouchsafed, they can over them, (Ps. 88:7, 16; Lam. 3:1) but in reality, there never have: but it is the disbelief of the report of the gos- is no wrath comes upon them now; their afflictions and pel, by such who have the opportunity of reading and chastisements are all in love; and there will be no curse hearing it, and yet either attend not to the evidence of it; hereafter; but they shall always see the face of God, and or, notwithstanding that, reject it; they receive not the be “in his presence, where are fuliness of joy, and pleasrecord God has given of his Son, and so make him a liar, ures for evermore” (Rev. 3:19, 22:3, 4). than which nothing is more provoking to wrath (1 John 5:10). This was the case of the Jews of old, (John 3:19) Chapter 18 and is of the deists of the present age. In short, the wrath OF THE HATRED OF GOD of God comes upon men either for their sins against the There are some[l] that deny that hatred belongs to light of nature, or against the law of God, or against the God; or that he hates anything; and urge a passage in gospel of Christ. the Apocrypha, “Thou lovest all beings, and hatest none There are some on whom no wrath comes here, nor of these that thou hast made; “ (Wisdom 11:24) which hereafter; who are the vessels of mercy, afore prepared is true of the creatures of God, as such; for as they are for glory: concerning whom Jehovah says, “fury is not made by him they are all very good; and are loved, dein me”; and to whom he is all love, “love” itself, (Isa. lighted in, and not hated by him. Nor is hatred to be 27:4; 1 John 4:16) being sinners indeed, and transgres- considered as a passion in him, as it is in men; who is a sors of the law of God, they are children of wrath as pure, active Spirit, and is solely agent, and not a patient; others, (Eph. 2:3) which phrase not only means that is not capable of suffering anything: much less as it is a they are serving of wrath, but that, as they are sinners, criminal passion, by which men, in their worst estate, they are found guilty of it; and not only found guilty, but are described, “hateful”, and “hating one another”, (Ti-
18 OF THE HATRED OF GOD 29 tus 3:3) since he is a perfectly holy Being, and without ticularly observed as hated by him, as idolatry, (Deut. iniquity. Yet the scriptures do, in many places, attrib- 16:22; Jer. 44:3-5) perjury, (Zech. 8:17) all insincere and ute to him hatred both of persons and things, (Ps. 5:5; hypocritical acts of worship, (Isa. 1:14, 15; Amos 5:21) Zech. 8:17) and most truly and rightly; and this may be sins against the two tables of the law; as murder, which concluded from love being in God, as has been shown; stands among the six things which God hates, (Prov. though this is made use of as an argument against it, 6:16-18) fornication, adultery, community of wives; because opposite to it; but where there is love of any the deeds of the Nicolaitans he is said to hate, (Rev. 2:6, person or thing, there will be an hatred of that which is 15) theft, robbery, rapine, and violence of every sort; all contrary to the object loved: thus good men, as they love kind of injury to the persons and properties of men, (Ps. those that are good, like themselves, and good things, so 11:5; Isa. 61:8) and every evil thing a man may imagine they hate that which is evil; they love God, the chiefest against his neighbour (Zech. 8:17). And all this is true good; and they hate sin, the chiefest evil, as diametri- of each of the divine persons. God the Father has shown cally opposite to him, (Ps. 97:10; Amos 5:15). So the his hatred of sin by the judgments he has executed in righteous Lord, as he loves righteousness and righteous casting down from heaven to hell the angels that sinned, men, his people; as they are clothed in the righteousness driving Adam and Eve out of paradise, bringing a flood of Christ, and found in the ways of righteousness, so upon the world of the ungodly, raining fire and brimhe hates unrighteousness, and unrighteous men; for to stone on Sodom and Gomorrah; with other instances in the Son of God he saith, “thou lovest righteousness, and following ages, and later ones; and by the chastisements hatest iniquity; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed of his own people, when they sin and transgress his law; thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows”, (Ps. 45:7) but in nothing more than by the condemnation of sin besides, it is a virtue, yea grace, in good men, to hate sin in the flesh of Christ, when he suffered in the room and that dwells in them, and is committed by them, as the stead of his people, as their Surety and Saviour; and so apostle did, (Rom. 7:15) for without the grace of God it by the punishment of wicked men to all eternity. The is not hated; and also to hate them that hate the Lord, Son of God has given sufficient proof of his loving rightas David did, and for the truth of which he appeals to eousness, and hating iniquity, of whom these things are God, “Do not I hate them, O Lord that hate thee? I hate expressly said, (Ps. 45:7; Heb. 1:8, 9) and are true of him them with perfect hatred” (Ps. 139:21, 22). Now if it is a as a divine person, and as Mediator, and as man; and virtue, or owing to the grace of God in them, that they this he has done by inveighing against the sins of the do hate sin and sinners, then this must come from God, Jews in his time; by his severe usage of the buyers and from whom all grace, and every good gift comes; and sellers in the temple; and by his exhortations and threatconsequently must be in him, in a higher degree, even enings to men to sin no more, lest worse things came in the most perfect manner; to all which may be added, unto them: and the Holy Ghost is not only grieved by that hatred, when ascribed to God, sometimes signifies the sinful actions and behaviour of men; but may be no other than his will to punish sin and sinners, and his vexed by them, so as to turn to be their enemy, and fight execution of it, (Ps. 5:5, 6) and so is an act of justice, of against them (Isa. 63:10). Which leads me to consider, punitive justice; “And is God unrighteous, who taketh 2. Who they are that God hates; and they are sinvengeance?” No; he is righteous in that, as he is in all ners, “workers of iniquity”, (Ps. 5:5) not men, as men, his works (Rom. 3:5). For the further illustration of this but as sinful men; and not all that sin, or have sin in point, I shall consider both what that is; and who they them; for then all would be hated, for all have sinned are God is said to hate. in Adam, and by; actual transgressions; and none, even 1. What that is he hates, that is sin; and this is con- the best of men, are without it, (Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:8) sistent with his not hating any of his creatures; for sin but “workers” of it, traders in it, whose whole lives are is no creature of his; he is not the author of sin; all the one continued series of sinning; to those it will be said, I creatures he made were very good; but sin was not “never knew you”; I never loved you, I always hated you; among them; every creature of God is good, and not “depart from me, ye that work iniquity”, (Matthew 7:23), to be refused, rejected, and hated by men; as none are make a trade of it; make it the business of their lives, by God, as such; but sin is not any of them. Sin must continually and constantly commit it, (John 8:34; 1 John be hateful to God, since it is so contrary to his nature, 3:8, 9) and God is impartial, he hates “all the workers of to his will, and to his righteous law. All sin is an abom- iniquity; and brings down his indignation and wrath, ination to him; but there are some sins that are par- tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man that does
30 19 OF THE JOY OF GOD evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile” (Rom. 2:8, is always for sin, and in consideration of it; for though 9). The scriptures speak of an hatred of some persons sin is not the cause of the act of the will, it is the cause of antecedent to sin, and without the consideration of it; the thing willed, which is not willed without the considwhich, though it may be attended with some difficulty eration of it; they are the wicked God has made, or apto account for; yet may be understood in a good sense, pointed to the day of evil, and no other; ungodly men, and consistent with the perfections of God, and with whom he has foreordained to that condemnation, veswhat has been said of his hatred of sin and sinners; for sels of wrath, fitted for destruction by sin; on whom it is thus it is said of Jacob and Esau, personally considered; the will of God to show his wrath, and make his power “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated”, (Mai. 1:2) known (Prov. 16:4; Jude 1:4; Rom. 9:22). In the one act, and which was before the one had done any good, or hatred, or a denial of grace, is without the consideration the other done any evil; as the apostle expressly says, of sin; in the other, hatred, or a will to punish, is with (Rom. 9:11-13). “The children not being yet born, nei- it; punishment being only willed for it: but then God ther having done any good or evil; that the purpose of never hates his elect in any sense; they are always loved God, according to election, might stand; not of works, by him; to which hatred is opposite: he may be angry but of him that calleth; it was said unto her”, to Rebekah, with them, and chastise them for their sins; yea, he may, the mother of them, while they were in her womb, “the as he says, and as they apprehend, in a little wrath hide elder shall serve the younger; as it is written, Jacob have his “face” from them; but he never hates them; though I loved, but Esau have I hated”. And what is said of these, he hates their sins, and shows his resentment at them, is true of all the objects of election and non-election. he still loves them freely; renews, and raises them up by And now let it be observed, that this hatred is to be repentance, when fallen into sin, and manifests and apunderstood, not of any positive hatred in the heart of plies his pardoning grace to them, and never bears any God towards them, but of a negative and comparative hatred to their persons. hatred of them; that whereas while some are chosen of God, and preferred by him, and are appointed to obtain Chapter 19 grace and glory, and to be brought to great dignity and OF THE JOY OF GOD honour; others are passed by, neglected, postponed, and Joy, which is often attributed to God in the scriptures, set less by; which is called an hatred of them; that is, a bears some resemblance to the affection of joy in men; comparative one, in comparison of the love shown, and but is, by some philosophers, denied of him; and, indeed, the preference given to others; in this sense the word is not to be considered as a passion in him, as in them; is used in (Luke 14:26). “If any man hate not his fa- and particularly, when in its height, or at an excess; as ther, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, it is a transport of the mind, and carries it out of, and and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my beyond itself, as it were; as in the cases of Jacob, when the disciple”: the meaning of which cannot be, that a man news of his son Joseph’s being alive were brought him; must have positive hatred of such near relations, and of and of the disciples, when they heard of the resurrection his own life; but that he should be negligent of these in of Christ, believed not for joy: and, indeed, all affections comparison of Christ; postpone them to him, set less that are ascribed to God, are ascribed to him, not as in by them, have a less affection for them than him, and themselves, but as to their effects; such and such effects so prefer him unto them; in like sense are we to un- being done by men, when so and so affected. Hence derstand the above expression concerning Esau, and all when similar ones are done by God, the like affections reprobates: and that this may appear yet clear, it should are ascribed to him; and this of joy is expressed by him be observed, that in this business there are two acts of in very different effects; as in inflicting punishment, as the divine will; the one is a will not to bestow benefits well as in conferring benefits; in the one he rejoices in of special goodness; not to give grace, nor to raise to the glory of his justice and holiness; and in the other, in honour and glory: and this God may do antecedent to, the displays of his grace and goodness (see Deut. 28:63). and without any consideration of sin; but act according Though joy, as ascribed to God, seems to be no other to his sovereign will and pleasure, since he is under no than delight and complacency in persons and things; so obligation to confer benefits, but may bestow them on some philosophers and schoolmen make them to be the whom he pleases; as he himself says, “Is it not lawful for same; or, however, take joy to be a species of delight; me to do what I will with mine own?” (Matthew 20:15). only they observe a difference, with respect to brute The other act of the divine will is, to inflict evil; and that animals, in whom there is delight, but not joy; it is also
19 OF THE JOY OF GOD 31 made a question with them whether delight is a passion? beauty, even the beauty of holiness, which he, the king, but my business with it is only as it concerns God, and is greatly desires; by which they are all glorious within, predicated of him; and who may be said, and well pleasing in his sight; he delights in the graces 1. To rejoice and take delight and complacency in which he himself, by his Spirit, has wrought in them, himself, in his own nature, and the perfections of it; in and in the exercise of those graces, as drawn forth by which there is an all-sufficiency, and so a fulness of con- him, their faith, hope, love, fear, &c. “The Lord taketh tent and satisfaction; and he rests infinitely well pleased pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his in himself. Hence Aquinas, who defines joy and delight mercy” (Ps. 147:11; Song 4:9, 10). And so all his peoa certain quietation, or rest of the will, in what is willed ple, as they are his workmanship, his poem, curiously by it; observes, that God must greatly rest quiet and wrought by him; the works of his hands, in whom, and satisfied in himself, which is his principal “volitum”, or whereby he is glorified; he rejoices in them, and blesses what is willed by him, as having all-sufficiency in him, on account of them (Isa. 19:25, 60:21). Wherefore, and therefore by his own will greatly rejoices and de3. He may be truly said to rejoice, delight, and take lights in himself: and though he makes joy and delight pleasure in his people, as he often is; they are his Hepin some respect to differ; delight flowing from a good hzibah, in whom he delights; his Beulah, to whom he is really conjoined; and joy being not only of that, but of married; and therefore, as a bridegroom rejoices over something exterior; hence, he says, it is plain God prop- his bride, so does the Lord rejoice over them, (Ps. 149:4; erly delights in himself; but rejoices in himself and oth- Isa. 62:4, 5) not in all men; for there are some in whom ers. Song the Jews interpret (1 Chron. 16:27) “gladness he has no joy, vessels in whom he has no delight and in his place”, of joy in himself. pleasure, (Isa. 9:17, 27:11; Mai. 1:10) but his special 2. He rejoices and takes delight and complacency in covenant people, (Jer. 32:38-41) and these not as creahis works (Ps. 104:31). In the works of creation, which, tures, and still less as sinful creatures, either as considwhen he had finished, he not only rested from them, ered in Adam, or in themselves, guilty and defiled; but but rested in them, with delight and pleasure; he looked as in Christ, in whom God is well pleased, and in all them over, and pronounced them all very good; and he that are in him, as chosen in him, and given to him; still appears to have pleasure in them, by his continu- so God the Father rejoiced in them from everlasting; ance of them in being, by upholding all things by the for as his love to them, so his joy in them, is so early, it word of his power: he rejoices and delights in the works being a love of complacency and delight; and of which of his providence, in which he is always concerned joy there are new expressions in conversion (see Luke (John 5:17). 15:7, 9, 22-24). And likewise the Son of God, was from These, so far as they are known by men, yield an all eternity rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth; unspeakable delight and pleasure in the contemplation and his delights were with the sons of men, (Prov. 8:31) of them; and especially when they will be manifest; and and which joy he felt under all his sorrows and sufferthough they are now, many of them, unsearchable and ings, when working out their salvation, (Heb. 12:2) and past finding out, yet there is a depth of riches, both of which he expresses at their conversion; that being the the wisdom and knowledge of God in them; but what time of finding his lost people; and, indeed, the day of delight must God take in them, being all according to his open espousals to them, and so of the gladness of his sovereign will and pleasure; by whom they are seen his heart, (Luke 15:3-5; Song 3:11) and they will also and known in their beauty, harmony, and connection; be his joy, and crown of rejoicing, in the last day; when and the springs and causes of them, and the several ends they shall be introduced into his presence, not only answered by them? God rejoices and takes delight par- with joy and gladness in themselves, but with it in him, ticularly in the great work of redemption, contrived by who will present them before his Father and himself, his infinite wisdom, and wrought out by his Son; part- with exceeding joy, (Ps. 45:13, 14; Jude 1:24) and this ly because of his own glory displayed therein; as of his joy over them, both in him and his divine Father, is to love, grace, and mercy, so of his truth and faithfulness, do them good, and issues in it; to bestow benefits upon holiness and justice; and partly because of the salvation them, grace here, and glory hereafter; to beautify them of his people, secured thereby; a thing his heart was set with salvation; to make them prosperous, especially in upon from everlasting; what he resolved should be, and spiritual things, in which prosperity he takes pleasure; what he appointed them to: he rejoices and delights in and in making all things work together for their good, his work of grace on the hearts of his people: this is their (Jer. 32:41; Ps. 149:4; 35:27) which joy is full; there is a
32 20 OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD. redundancy, an overflow of it; it is hearty and sincere, is them are or can be exercised in a wrong manner, or to the strength and security of the saints, and will remain any bad purpose. And as it is his nature and essence, it for ever (Neh. 8:10; Zeph. 3:17). is infinite and unbounded; it cannot be greater than it Chapter 20 is, and can neither be increased nor diminished; when, OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD. therefore, men are exhorted to “sanctify” the Lord, and Having considered those attributes of God which are directed to pray that his “name” may be “hallowed”, bear a likeness to affections in men; I proceed to con- or sanctified, (Isa. 8:13; Matthew 6:9) the meaning is not sider those which in them may be called virtues; as ho- as if he was to be, or could be made more holy than liness, justice, or righteousness, truth, or faithfulness; he is; but that his holiness be declared, manifested, and and shall begin with the holiness of God. And, celebrated more and more; it is so perfect that nothing First, show that it is in God, and belongs to him, can be added to it. And as it is his nature and essence, it and what it is. The scriptures most abundantly ascribe it is immutable and invariable; the holiness of a creature to him; he is very frequently called “holy”, and “the Holy is changeable, as the holiness of angels and men; which One”; this title he takes to himself, (Isa. 40:25; Hoses has appeared by the apostasy of the one, and the fall of 11:9) and is often given him by others, angels and men; the other; and the holiness of saints, though its principle and, indeed, without holiness he would not be that per- is the same, the acts and exercises are variable. But God fect being he is; unholiness is the imperfection of every is always the same holy Being, without any variableness, rational being in whom it is; it is what has made angels or shadow of turning. He is originally holy, he is so in and men both impure and imperfect; and since no men, and of himself, and of no other; there is none prior and even the best, are without sin; therefore none are in superior to him, from whom he could derive or receive themselves perfect. But as for God, his ways and works any holiness; as his Being is of himself, so is his holiness, are perfect, and so is his nature; being just and true, and which is himself: the holiness of angels and men is not without iniquity (Deut. 32:4). Holiness is the purity and of themselves, but of God; he is the fountain of holiness rectitude of his nature; whose nature is so pure, as to be to all rational creatures that partake of it; it is peculiar to without spot or stain, or anything like it: he is light and him, yea, only in him; Hannah says, in her song, “There purity itself, and in him is no darkness or impurity at is none holy as the Lord”, (1 Sam. 2:2). In another song all; as “he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity”, so yet to be sung, the song of Moses and of the Lamb, it is he is of a purer heart and mind than to have one sin- said, “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy ful thought in it: his thoughts are not as ours; he is the name? for thou only art holy” (Rev. 15:4). The holiness pattern of purity and holiness, and to be copied after: of creatures is but a shadow of holiness, in comparison men should be holy, as and because he is holy; it is one of the holiness of God; the holy angels are chargeable of the imitable perfections of God, in which he is to be with folly in his sight, and they cover their faces with followed; though it cannot be attained to, as it is in him, their wings, while they celebrate the perfection of God’s (Lev. 11:44, 45, 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15, 16). holiness; as conscious to themselves, that theirs will not Holiness is an essential attribute of God; it is his na- bear to be compared with his (Job 4:17,18; Isa. 6:2, 3). ture and essence; it is himself; he is holiness itself; “he God only is essentially, originally, underivatively, perswears by himself, because he can swear by no greater”; fectly, and immutably holy. and he will not swear by any less, and yet he swears by This must be understood not of one person in the his holiness, (Heb. 6:13; Ps. 89:35; Amos 4:2, 6:8) which Deity, to the exclusion of the rest; as not of the Spirit, places put and compared together show that the holi- though he is peculiarly called the “Holy Ghost”, and the ness of God is himself; and it has been thought to be not Holy Spirit, yet not to the exclusion of the Father and so much a particular and distinct attribute of itself, as Son; so not of the Father, to the exclusion of the Son the lustre, glory, and harmony of all the rest; and is what and Spirit; for as they are the one God, who is a Spirit, is called “the beauty of the Lord”, (Ps. 27:4) as it is the they partake of the same common and undivided nabeauty of the good angels, and of regenerate men; and, ture, and all the perfections of it, and of this with the indeed, what is wisdom or knowledge, without holiness, rest. Hence we read of the holy Elohim, or divine Perbut craft and cunning? or what is power, without it, but sons, in the plural number; and of the Holy Ones, the tyranny, oppression, and cruelty? but God is “glorious Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit, (Josh. in holiness”, (Ex. 15:11) this dives a lustre to all his per- 24:19; Prov. 30:5; Dan. 4:17). And no doubt respect is fections, and is the glory of them; and therefore none of had to the holiness of the three divine persons, by the
20 OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD 33 seraphim, when they said, “holy, holy, holy, Lord God of bear them, but expresses his dislike and displeasure at hosts!” (Isa. 6:3) and by the four beasts, or living crea- them (Eph. 4:29, 30). And all this will be still more clear tures, continually employed in the same divine service, and manifest, by considering, celebrating the perfections of God in much the same Secondly, The instances whereto and whereby the language, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!” holiness of God is displayed, which are his works, and (Rev. 4:8). As there is no doubt made of the Deity of actions, and proceedings towards his creatures; God is the Father, there can be none of his holiness: our Lord holy in all his works; or his holiness is manifest in them, addresses him under the relation of “Father”, and under and by them (Ps. 145:17). the epithet of “Holy Father”, (John 17:11) and all that 1. The holiness of God the Father; which is visible, has been said of the holiness of God belongs to him; of 1. In the works of creation; for as he made all things which there can be no question made: and it is as true by his Son, not as an instrument, but as co-efficient of the Son as of the Father; for as the Father is the holy with him, so when he overlooked them, he pronounced Father, he must be the holy Son, since he is of the same them very good; which he would not have done, had nature, and is “the brightness of his Father’s glory, and there been anything impure or unholy in them. Angels, the express image of his person”; and as the Father is not only those that stood, but those that fell, were origof purer eyes than to behold iniquity, so is the Son; as inally holy, as made by him: the elect angels continue the Father loves righteousness and hates iniquity, this is in the holiness in which they were created; and the anexpressly said of the Son, (Heb. 1:8, 9) he is eminently gels that sinned are not in the estate in which they were called “the Holy One of God”, (Ps. 16:10) and “the Holy at their creation; they kept not their first estate, which One of Israel”, more than thirty times in the prophecy was an estate of purity and holiness; and abode not in of Isaiah; and particularly is so called along with the ti- the truth, in the uprightness and integrity in which they tles of Redeemer and Husband, which are peculiar to were formed (Jude 1:6; John 8:44). And as for man, he the second Person, the Son of God, the Redeemer of his was made after the image, and in the likeness of God, people, and the Husband of his church, (Isa. 47:4, 54:5) which greatly consisted in holiness; a pure, holy, and yea, he is called the “most holy”, who was anointed with upright creature he was; and had a law given him, holy, the Holy Ghost above his fellows, and “having the Spirit just, and good, as the rule of his obedience, and which without measure”, (Dan. 9:24) the title of holy he takes was inscribed on his heart; some remains of which are to himself when addressing the church, which is an em- to be found in his fallen posterity, and even in the Genblem of the purest state of the church militant on earth, tiles. the church of Philadelphia; “These things saith he that 2 The holiness of God appears in his works of provis holy” (Rev. 3:7). Nay, the devil himself gives it to him; idence; which, though many of them are dark and in“I know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God” (Luke tricate, not easily penetrated into, and to be accounted 4:34). Besides, Christ is not only holy in his human na- for; yet there is nothing criminal and sinful in them: the ture, even perfectly so, and sanctified and set apart to principal thing objected to the holiness of God in his his office as Mediator, by his Father; for which office ho- providences, is his suffering sin to be in the world; but liness is a necessary requisite and qualification; but he is then, though it is by his voluntary permission, or perthe Fountain of holiness to his church and people; they missive will, yet he is neither the author nor abettor of are sanctified in him and by him; he is made sanctifica- it; he neither commands it, nor approves of it, nor pertion to them, and all the holiness, or holy graces that are suades to it, nor tempts nor forces to it; but all the verse, in them, are all from him, (John 1:14, 16) which could forbids it, disapproves of it, dissuades from it, threatens not be, if he was not holy, and even holiness itself. And to punish for it, yea, even chastises his own people for as for the blessed Spirit, the third Person in the Deity, it; and, besides, overrules it for great good, and for his the epithet of “holy” is commonly given to him, as be- own glory; as the fall of Adam, the sin of Joseph’s brethfore observed; and very truly, since he is of the same ren, the Jews crucifixion of Christ; which have been nature with the Father and the Son; and so he is holy by instanced in, and observed under a former attribute: nature and essence, and as appears by his graces, oper- wherefore the dispensations of God, in his providence, ations, and influences; and by his being grieved, speak- are not to be charged with unholiness on this account. ing after the manner of men, with the sins and impu3. The holiness of Jehovah the Father is to be obrities of men; the reason of which is, because they are served in those acts of grace which are peculiar to him; so contrary to his pure and holy nature, that he cannot as in choosing some in Christ his Son to everlasting life,
34 21 OF THE JUSTICE OR RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD before the world began. Now though not the holiness of to be an Holy One; the faith delivered by him to the the creature, nor even the foresight of it, is the cause of saints, is a most holy faith, wholesome words, doctrines this act; yet holiness, or the sanctification of the Spirit, is according to godliness: as a Priest, he is holy and harmfixed as a means in it; and it is the will of God, that those less, separate from sinners, and has offered up himself whom he chooses and appoints to salvation should par- without spot to God; and though he makes intercession take of it, or come to salvation through it; nay, he has for transgressors, it is upon the foot of his sacrifice and not only chosen them “through” it, as a means, but he righteousness: as a King, all his administrations are in has chosen them to it, as a subordinate end; he has cho- purity and righteousness; and his laws, commands, and sen them to be holy in part, in this life, and perfectly in ordinances, are Holy Ones; and when he comes as judge the life to come; and holiness of heart and life, is the ev- of the world, he will appear without sin, and “judge the idence of interest in it, and nothing more powerfully ex- world in righteousness”. cites and engages to it. The covenant which he has made Thirdly, The holiness of the blessed Spirit, is visiwith his Son Jesus Christ, on the behalf of the chosen ble in the formation of the human nature of Christ; in ones, provides abundantly for their holiness, both inter- separating that mass out of which it was framed in the nal and external; see (Ezek. 36:25-27) and the promises virgin; in sanctifying it, and preserving it from the taint of it serve greatly to promote it, and to influence the and contagion of original sin; in filling the human nasaints to be “perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 ture, when formed, with his holy gifts and graces, and Cor. 7:1). And in this covenant is laid up a rod of correc- that without measure; and through him it was offered tion, in love, to chastize with it the sins of God’s people up without spot; and he was declared to be the Son of (Ps. 89:29-34). Justification is an act of God’s grace to- God with power, by the Spirit of holiness, through the wards them; it is God, even God the Father, that justi- resurrection from the dead. Moreover, his holiness is fies, through the imputation of his Son’s righteousness manifest in the sanctification of the chosen of God, and to them; by which the holy law of God is so far from the redeemed of the Lamb, which is therefore called, being made void, that it is established, magnified, and “the sanctification of the Spirit”, (2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Peter made honourable: nor are justified persons exempted 1:2) in convincing them of sin, of the evil nature and from obedience to it, but are more strongly bound and just demerit of it; in converting them from it; in calling constrained to serve it; and though God justifies the them with an holy calling, and to holiness; in implantungodly, yet not without a righteousness provided for ing principles of grace and holiness in them; in purifythem, and imputed to them: nor does he justify, vindi- ing their hearts by faith, through the sprinkling of the cate, or approve of their ungodliness, nor connive at it; blood of Jesus; in leading them in the way of holiness, in but turns it from them, and them from that: and faith, which men, though fools, shall not err; and in carrying which receives the blessing of justification from the on, and perfecting the work of sanctification in them, Lord, by which men perceive their interest in it, and en- “without which none shall see the Lord”. joy the comfort of it, is an operative grace, works by love to God, to Christ, and his people; and is attended with Chapter 21 good works, the fruits of righteousness: the like may be OF THE JUSTICE OR observed with respect to other acts of the Father’s grace; RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD as adoption, pardon, &c. Concerning this attribute of God, I shall, Secondly, The holiness of the Son of God is to be First, Show that it does belong to him, and is natseen in all his works; in the works of creation and prov- ural and essential to him. Thescriptures do abundantly idence, in common with his divine Father; and in all his ascribe it to him; all rational creatures, angels and men, works of grace; in giving himself to sanctify his church, good and bad, acknowledge it in him, (Rev. 16:5; Ex. and make it a glorious one, without spot or wrinkle, 9:27; Jer. 12:1; Dan. 9:9; Ps. 145:7) and remove all unthrough his blood and righteousness; in redeeming his righteousness from him, and affirm there is none in people from all iniquity, to purify them to himself a pe- him (Ps. 92:15; Rom. 9:14). And, indeed, without this culiar people; in bearing their sins, and making satisfac- attribute, he would not be fit to be the Governor of the tion for them, that they might live unto righteousness, world, and the judge of the whole earth; his government and that the body of sin might be destroyed, (Eph. 5:25, would be tyranny, and not yield that pleasure and de27; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24; Rom. 6:6) and so in the ex- light to the inhabitants of it, it does; the reason of which ecution of all his offices; as a Prophet, he has appeared is, because “righteousness and judgment are the habi-
21 OF THE JUSTICE OR RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD 35 tation of his throne” (Ps. 97:1, 2). And from his love of attribute. Righteousness of deeds, is either the rectitude, righteousness, and constant performance of it, it may be purity, and holiness of his nature; which appears in all concluded it is natural to him; as what is loved by men, his works and actions, and which has been treated of in and constantly done by them, shows it to be agreeable the preceding chapter; or it is a giving that which beto the nature of them, (Ps. 11:7, 9:4) and, indeed, it is longs to himself, and to his creatures, what is each their originally and essentially in God; it is in and of himself, due. So justice is defined by Cicero, an affection of the and not of another; it is his nature and essence, and is mind, “Suum cuique tribuens”; giving to everyone his not derived from another. Adam was righteous, but not own. Thus God gives or takes to himself what is his due; of himself, God made him upright, or righteous; saints or does himself justice, by making and doing all things are righteous, not by their own righteousness, but by for his own glory; and by not giving his glory to anoththe righteousness of Christ imputed to them. But God er, nor his praise to graven images: and he gives to his is righteous in and of himself; his righteousness is es- creatures what is due to them by the laws of creation, sential and inderivative, and is incommunicable to a and governs them in justice and equity, and disposes of creature; it is not that by which men are made righteous, them and dispenses to them, in the same manner as Osiander dreamed; for though he who is Jehovah is Justice, among men, is sometimes distinguished into their righteousness, yet not as he is Jehovah; for then commutative and retributive. Commutative justice lies they would be deified by him: the righteousness of God in covenants, compacts, agreements, commerce, and being his nature, is infinite and immutable; the right- dealings with one another, in which one gives an equiveousness of angels and men, in which they were creat- alent in money or goods, for what he receives of anothed, was mutable; Adam lost his, and many of the angels er; and when integrity and uprightness are preserved, lost theirs; but the “righteousness” of God is “like the this is justice. But such sort of justice cannot have place great mountains”, as high, firm, and stable as they, and between God and men; what he gives, and they receive much more so (Ps. 36:6). Righteousness in creatures, from him, is of free favour and good will; and what they is according to some law, which is the rule of it, and give to him, or he receives from them, is no equivalent to which it is conformed, and is adequate so the law of for what they have from him; “What shall I render to God, which is holy, just, and true, is a rule of righteous- the Lord for all his benefits towards me?” (Ps. 116:12) ness to men; but God has no law without himself, he is nothing that is answerable to them. Besides, God has a law to himself; his nature and will the law and rule of a prior right to everything a creature has or can give; righteousness to him. Some things are just, because he “Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recomwills them, as such that are of a posture kind; and oth- pensed to him again?” (Rom. 11:35). Retributive justice ers he wills them because they are just, being agreeable is a distribution either of rewards or punishments; the to his nature and moral perfections. This is an attrib- one may be called remunerative justice, the other puniute common to the three Persons in the Godhead, as it tive justice; and both may be observed in God. must be, since it is essential to Deity, and they partake 1. Remunerative justice, or a distribution of reof the same undivided nature and essence: hence the Fa- wards; the rule of which is not the merits of men, but ther of Christ is called by him “righteous Father”, (John his own gracious promise; for he first, of his own grace 17:25) and Christ, his Son; is called Jesus Christ “the and good will, makes promises, and then he is just and righteous”, (1 John 2:1) and no doubt can be made of its righteous in fulfilling them; for God, as Austin expressbeing proper to the Holy Spirit, who convinces men “of es it, “makes himself a debtor, not by receiving anything righteousness and of judgment” (John 16:8). But, from us, but by promising such and such things to us.” Secondly, I shall next consider the various sorts, or And his justice lies in fulfilling his promises made to branches of righteousness, which belong to God; for such and such persons, doing such and such things; and though it is but one in him, being his nature and es- not in rewarding any supposed merits of theirs. Thus, sence; yet it may be considered as diversified, and as ad- for instance, “The man that endures temptation shall mitting of distinctions, with respect to creatures. Some receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised distinguish it into righteousness of words, and right- to them that love him”, (James 1:12) but the crown of eousness of deeds. Righteousness of words lies in the life is not given according to any merit of it arising from fulfilment of his words, sayings, prophecies, and prom- enduring temptation, or loving the Lord; but in conseises; and is no other than his veracity, truth, and faith- quence of the promise of God graciously made to such fulness; which will be considered hereafter, as a distinct persons, for their encouragement thereunto. Moreo-
36 21 OF THE JUSTICE OR RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD ver, the reward is not of debt, but of grace; or God, in the antichristian states; the righteousness of which will the distribution of rewards to men, rewards not their be ascribed to God by the angel of the waters, and by all works, but his own grace; he first gives grace, and then his people, (Rev. 16:5, 6, 19:1, 2) and in the eternal punrewards that grace with glory; called, “the reward of the ishment and everlasting destruction of ungodly men: inheritance” (Col. 3:24). And this seems to be no oth- and this righteousness is natural and essential to God; er than the inseparable connection between grace and but this the Socinians deny, because they do not choose glory, adopting grace, and the heavenly inheritance; to embrace the doctrine of the necessity of Christ’s satwhich, he having of his own grace put, does in justice isfaction for sin, which, if granted, they must give into. inviolably maintain. Indeed, the remunerative justice of But that punitive, or vindictive justice, is essential to God is sometimes represented in scripture, as render- God, or that he not only will not let sin go unpunished, ing to every man according to his deeds, or as his work but that he cannot but punish sin, is manifest, shall be, (Rom. 2:5-7, 10, 22:12). But still it is to be ob1. From the light of nature: hence the accusations served, that the reward given or rendered, is owing, to of the natural conscience in men for sins committed; the promise that is made to them for godliness, whether the fears of divine vengeance falling upon them for it, as a principle of grace, or as practised under the influ- here or hereafter; the many ways and means devised to ence of grace; or godly persons have “the promise of the appease angry Deity, and to avert punishment, some ablife that now is, and of that which is to come”, (1 Tim. surd, and others shocking; to which may be added, the 4:8) which promise is punctually and righteously per- name of 8ikt|, vengeance, or justice, punitive justice, the formed. heathens give to deity; see (Rom. 2:14, 15; Acts 28:4). Besides, God does not reward the works and god2. From the word of God, and the proclamation ly actions of men, as meritorious in themselves; but which God himself has made; in which, among other as they are the fruits of his own grace; who works in essential perfections of his, this is one, that he will by no them both “to will and to do” of his own pleasure; and means clear the guilty, and not at all acquit the wicked, therefore he is “not unrighteous to forget their work (Ex. 34:6,7; Num. 14:18; Nah. 1:3). and labour of love”; which springs from love, is done in 3. From the nature of God, “who is of purer eyes faith, and with a view to his glory (Heb. 6:10). Moreo- than to behold iniquity”; cannot bear it, but hates it, and ver, the works according to which God renders eternal the workers of it; which hatred is no other than his punlife, are not mens’ own personal works; between which, ishment of it (Heb. 1:13; Isa. 1:13, 14; Ps. 5:5, 6). Now as and eternal life, there is no proportion; but the works of his love of righteousness is natural and essential to him; righteousness done by Christ, of which his obedience so must hatred of sin be; to which may be added, that and righteousness consist; and which being done by “he is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). him, on their account, as their Head and Representa4. From the nature of sin, and the demerit of it, tive, are reckoned to them; and, according to these, the eternal death, everlasting punishment and destruction. crown of righteousness is given them by the Lord, as a Now if sin of itself, in its own nature, merits such punrighteous Judge, in a way of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8). ishment at the hands of God, he is obliged to inflict it; or 2. Punitive, or vindictive justice, belongs to God; otherwise there can be no demerit in it. It is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation 5. From the law of God; the sanction of it, and the to them that trouble” his people, (2 Thess. 1:6) and so veracity of God in it: sin is a transgression of the law; to inflict punishment for any other sin committed by which God, as a lawgiver, cannot but punish; otherwise men; and this has been exercised by him in all ages from his legislative power and authority is of no effect, and the beginning of the world; and has appeared in cast- would be despised: he has annexed a sanction to his law, ing down from heaven to hell the angels that sinned; which is death; and his veracity obliges him to inflict it; in drowning the old world; in destroying Sodom and nor is it any objection to all this, that then all sinners Gomorrah; in the plagues on Egypt, on Pharaoh and his must be necessarily punished; since the perfections of host; the righteousness of which was acknowledged, in God, though natural to him, the acts and exercises of some of the instances of it, by that wicked king, (Ex. them are according to his will; as has been instanced 9:27) in each of the captivities of the Jews, and in the in his omnipotence and mercy. Besides, it will be readdestruction of that people; and in the judgments of God ily allowed, and even affirmed, that no sin goes unpunon many other nations, in each of the periods of time; ished; but is either punished in the sinner himself, or and as will be seen in the destruction of antichrist and in his Surety. The reason why some are not punished in
21 OF THE JUSTICE OR RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD 37 themselves, is, because Christ has made satisfaction for not; their afflictions come not from God as a judge, but their sins, by bearing the punishment due unto them. as a father; and not from his justice, but his love; and Hence, not to their detriment and injury, but for their good. In 6. From sin being punished in Christ, the Surety short, they are chastened by the Lord, that they might of his people, it may be strongly concluded, that puni- not be condemned with the world (1 Cor. 11:32). And tive justice is essential to God; or otherwise, where is as for the prosperity of the wicked, though their eyes the goodness of God to his own Son, that he should stand out with fatness, and they have more than heart not spare him, but awake the sword of justice against can wish, yet they are like beasts that are fattened for the him, and inflict the whole of punishment on him, due slaughter; their judgment may seem to linger, and their to the sins of those for whom he suffered, if he could damnation to slumber, but they do not; sudden destrucnot have punished sin, or this was not necessary? and, tion will come upon them; the tables will, ere long, be indeed, where is his wisdom in being at such an expense turned, and the saints, who have now their evil things, as the blood and life of his Son, if sin could have been will be comforted; and the wicked, who have now their let go unpunished, and the salvation of his people ob- good things, will be tormented: justice, though it may tained without it? and where is the love of God to men, not so apparently take place now, it will hereafter; when in giving Christ for them, for their remission and salva- all things will be set to rights, and the judgments of God tion, so much magnified, when all this might have been will be manifest. There is a future state, when the justice without it? but without shedding of blood, as there is no of God will shine in all its glory. remission, so none could be, consistent with the justice 2. God is righteous in all his ways and works and of God; no pardon nor salvation, without satisfaction acts of grace; in the predestination of men, the choice to that: could it have been in another way, the prayer of of some, and the preterition of others. While the aposChrist would have brought it out, “Father, if it be possi- tle is treating on this sublime subject, he stops and asks ble, let this cup pass me” (Matthew 26:39). But, this question, “Is there unrighteousness with God?” and Thirdly, I shall next consider the displays of the answers it with the utmost abhorrence and detestation, righteousness of God in his works; and vindicate his “God forbid!” Election is neither an act of justice nor of justice in them; for “the Lord is righteous in all his ways” injustice, but of the sovereign will and pleasure of God, (Ps. 145:17). who does what he will with his own; gives it to one, and 1. In his ways and works of providence: he governs not to another, without any imputation of injustice: if he the world in righteousness, orders and disposes of all may give grace and glory to whom he will, without such things in judgment; and though he does according to a charge, then he may determine to give it without any. his sovereign will and pleasure in heaven and in earth, If it is no injustice in men to choose their own favouryet he acts according to the strictest rules of justice and ites, friends, confidants, and companions; it can be none equity; “Just and true are his ways”; “he is the Judge of in God to choose whom he pleases to bestow his favours all the earth, who will do right”, (Rev. 15:3; Gen. 18:25) on; to indulge with communion with himself now, and and does do it; nor is he chargeable with any unright- to dwell with him to all eternity: if it was no injustice to eousness in any of his ways and works: men may wrong- choose some of the angels, called elect angels, and pass ly charge him, and say, as the house of Israel did; “the by others; and even to condemn all that sinned, withway of the Lord is not equal”; when it is their ways that out showing mercy to one individual of them; it can be are unequal, and not his, (Ezek. 18:29) nor is it any suffi- no injustice in him to choose some of the race of men, cient objection to the righteousness of God in his prov- and save them, and pass by others, when he could have idences, that good men are often afflicted, and wicked condemned them all. Nor can the imputation of Adam’s men are frequently in very prosperous circumstances: sin to all his posterity, be accounted an unrighteous acthese things have been stumbling and puzzling to good tion. God made man upright, he made himself a sinner: men, and they have not been able to reconcile them God gave him a righteous law, and abilities to keep it; he to the justice of God (see Ps. 73:4-13; Jer. 12:1, 2). As voluntarily broke it: God constituted the first man the for the afflictions of God’s people, these are not pun- federal head and representative of all his posterity; and ishments for sins, but chastisements of them; were they who so fit for this as their natural head and common indeed punishments for sin, it would argue injustice, for parent, with and in whom they were to stand and fall; it would be unjust to punish twice for the same sins; and what injustice could be in that; since had he stood once in their Surety, and again in themselves: but so it is they would have partook of the benefits of it; as now
38 22 OF THE VERACITY OF GOD he fell they share in the miseries of it? and since they hence he has the name Jehovah, “I AM that I AM”; sinned in him, it can be no unrighteous thing to reckon which denotes the truth, eternity, and immutability of it to them; or that they should be made and constituted his essence. What seems to be, and is not, is not true; sinners, by his disobedience. It is not reckoned unjust, what seems to be, and is, is true. among men, for children to be punished for the sins of 2. Of the truth of his Deity; he is the true and the livtheir parents, and particularly treason; and what else is ing God; so he is often called, (2 Chron. 15:3; Jer. 10:10; sin against God? (Ex. 20:5). The justice of God shines 1 Thess. 1:9) in opposition to fictitious deities; who eibrightly in redemption by Christ; “Zion, and her con- ther have reigned themselves such, or are feigned so by verts, are redeemed in righteousness”; a full price is paid others; gods only by name, not by nature; of which there for the redemption of them; and in it “mercy and truth have been many: but the true God is but one, and in meet together, and righteousness and peace kiss each distinction from such who are called gods in a figurative other”: and though it is not for all men, no injustice is and metaphorical sense, gods by office under God; as done to them that are not redeemed; for if God could in Moses was to Pharaoh, and as kings, judges, and civil justice have condemned all, it can be no act of injustice magistrates be, (Ex. 7:1; Ps. 82:1, 6, 7). But the Lord is to redeem and save some. Suppose one hundred slaves God in a true and proper sense. in Algiers, and a man out of his great generosity, lays 3. This title includes the truth and reality of all his down a ransom price for fifty of them, does he, by this perfections; he is not only omnipotent, omniscient, act of distinguished goodness and generosity, do any in- omnipresent, eternal, and immutable, but he is truly justice to the others? or can they righteously complain so: what is falsely claimed by others, or wrongly givof him for not ransoming them? In the justification of en to them, is really in him; he is not only good and men, by the righteousness of Christ, the justice of God gracious, holy and just, but he is truly so; what others is very conspicuous; for though God justifies the un- only appear to be, he is really. Id. This may be predigodly, yet not without a perfect righteousness, such as cated of each Person in the Godhead; the Father is the is adequate to the demands of his righteous law; even only true God, (John 17:3) though not to the exclusion the righteousness of his own Son, in the imputation of of the Son, who is also the true God and eternal life; which, and justification by it, he appears to be “just, and nor of the holy Spirit, who is truth; and who, with the the justifier of him which believes in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). Father and the Son, is the one true and living God (1 Though God forgives sin, yet not without a satisfaction John 5:20, 6, 7).--This attribute of truth removes from made to his justice; though it is according to the riches the divine nature everything imperfect and sinful: it is of his grace, yet through the blood of Christ shed for opposed to unrighteousness, (Deut. 32:4) and has the it; and upon the ground of the shedding of that blood, epithet of just or holy along with it, when God is spoGod “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to ken of in his persons, ways, and works, (Rev. 3:7, 6:10, cleanse us from all unrighteousness”, (1 John 1:9) and 15:3, 16:7, 19:2) it removes from him all imputation of so it is both an act of grace and of justice; as is eternal lying and falsehood; he is not a man, that he should lie, glory and happiness, being the free gift of God, through as men do; the Strength of “Israel will not” lie; yea, he Christ and his righteousness. is God that “cannot” lie; it is even “impossible” that he should, (Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; Titus 1.2; Heb. 6:18) Chapter 22 this frees him from all deception, he can neither deOF THE VERACITY OF GOD ceive nor be deceived; Jeremiah, indeed, says, “O Lord, The apostle says, “Let God be true, and every man a thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived”, (Jer. 20:7) liar”, (Rom. 3:4) this must be affirmed of him, whatever but this must be understood either as a misapprehenis said of creatures, he is true and truth itself. sion and mistake of the prophet; or the sense is, if I am 1. God is true in and of himself: this epithet, or at- deceived, God has deceived me; but as that cannot be, tribute, is expressive, therefore I am not deceived: though rather the words 1. Of the reality of his being; he truly and really ex- may be rendered, “thou hast persuaded me, and I was ists: this is what every worshipper of him must believe persuaded”, to enter upon his prophetic office, and to (Heb. 11:6). Creatures have but a shadow of being, in proceed on in the execution of it. Moreover this attribcomparison of his; “Every man walks in a vain show”, ute clears God of the charge of insincerity, hypocrisy, or image; rather in appearance than in reality, (Ps. 39:6) and dissimulation, which, if in him, he could not be but the existence of God is true, real, and substantial; true. Nor on the supposition of his decree to save some
22 OF THE VERACITY OF GOD 39 men, and not all, are his declarations chargeable with was always truth with him in his eternal mind; for anything of that kind; as that he has no pleasure in the “known to him are all his works from the beginning”, death of him that dies, and that he will have all men or from eternity, (Acts 15:18) as also his “word is true to be saved, (Ezek. 18:32; 1 Tim. 2:4) since the former from the beginning”, or from eternity (Ps. 119:160). respects not eternal death, but the captivity of the Jews, What is true with us today, might not be true yesterday, their return from it, upon their obedience, to their own and will not be true tomorrow, because things are in a land, and living in it. And the latter respects the will of succession with us, and are so known by us; but not so God to save some of all sorts, of every rank and con- with God, in whose eternal mind all things stand in one dition in life, and particularly Gentiles as well as Jews. view; and besides, as veracity is his nature, his essence, In short, it removes all unfaithfulness from God, or it must be eternal, since that is, which contains all truth any shadow of it: it strongly expresses the faithfulness in it; and his truth will be to all generations, even for of God; hence “true” and “faithful” are joined together, ever (Ps. 100:5, 117:2). when the sayings or words of God are spoken of; nor is (5). It is immutable and invariable, as he himself, as it any objection to the veracity of God, when what he his nature is; truth does not always appear in the same has promised or threatened is not done; since thereunto light to men; at first more obscurely, then more clearly; a condition is either openly annexed or secretly under- it has its gradations and increase; but in God is always stood; see (Jer. 18:7-10) but the faithfulness of God, in the same: creatures are mutable, fallacious, and deceithis promises, &c. will be distinctly considered hereafter. ful; but God is the same, true and faithful, yesterday, Concerning the veracity of God, let the following things today, and for ever. An attribute on account of which be observed: he is greatly to be praised and celebrated (Ps. 89:5; Isa. (1). That it is essential to him, it is his very nature 38:19). and essence; he is truth itself; he is not only called the II. God is true in his works; or all his works are true, God of truth, but “God the truth”, (Deut. 32:4) and so and his veracity is displayed in them; and these are eiChrist asserts himself to be the “truth”, (John 14:6) and ther internal or external. the Spirit is likewise so called (1 John 5:6). To be false, 1. Internal acts within himself; some relative to fallacious, and insincere, would be to act contrary to his himself, to the divine persons, their modes of subsistnature, even to deny himself; which he cannot do. ing, and distinction from each other; as paternity, filia(2). It is most pure and perfect in him; as in him tion, and spiration; which are true and real things: the is light, and no darkness at all; he is righteous, and no Father is truly and properly the Father of Christ, and unrighteousness is in him; is holy, and no unholiness in not in name only; and Christ is his own proper Son, him; is good, and no evil in him; is wisdom, and no folly not in a figurative sense, or by office, as magistrates are nor weakness in him; so he is truth, and no falsehood in called the children of the most High; but the Son of the him, not the least mixture nor appearance of it. Father “in truth” and love, (2 John 1:3) and the Spirit of (3). It is first, chief, and original in him; it is first truth is really breathed, and proceeds from the Father in him, as he is the first cause; it is chief, as it is per- and the Son, (John 15:26) others are relative to creafect in him, and all truth is originally from him; natu- tures; the decrees of God within himself, which are the ral and rational truth, which is clear and self-evident to secret actings and workings of his mind, the thoughts the mind: as the Being of God, from the works of his of his heart, the deep things of God, his counsels of old, hands, called the truth of God made manifest in men, which are “faithfulness” and “truth”; truly made, and and showed unto them (Rom. 1:18-20, 25). Moral truth, truly performed (Isa. 25:1). by which men know, in some measure, though sadly de2. External works, as the works of creation, provipraved, the difference between moral good and moral dence, and grace, which are all true, and real things; and evil (Rom. 2:14, 15). Spiritual truth, truth in the inward in which the veracity of God appears, both in making parts, or the true grace of God; and evangelical truth, and in continuing them. the word of truth, and the several doctrines of it; these (1). The works of creation, the heavens and the earth, are not of men, but of God. All untruth is from Satan, which are both his handy work, and all that are in them; the father of lies; but all truth is from the God of truth, in which the invisible perfections of his nature are disand from the Spirit, who leads into all truth, as it is in played and discerned, his eternal power and Godhead, Jesus. and his veracity among the rest. The heavens above us, (4). Truth, as in God, is eternal; what is truth now, the sun, moon, and stars we behold, and the earth on
40 23 OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD which we live, are real, and not imaginary, they truly ex- body and a reasonable soul; and whose human nature is ist. Satan pretended to show to Christ “all the kingdoms the true tabernacle God pitched, and not man: true in of the world, and the glory of them”, (Matthew 4:8) but his offices he bears; the true prophet raised up and sent this was a false and delusive representation, a “deceptio of God, the true light, that lightens men in every sense; visus”, by which he would have imposed on Christ, but the true priest, not of the order of Aaron, but of the orcould not. der of Melchizedek; the true and only Potentate, King (2). The works of providence; those in an ordinary of kings, and Lord of lords; the true Mediator between way, by which God governs the world, and disposes of God and men, and not a typical one, as Moses. God is all things according to truth and righteousness; and true in his written word; the scriptures are the scripsuch as are of an extraordinary kind, as those done by tures of truth, even the whole of them, (Dan. 10:21) the hands of Moses, in Egypt; and by Christ and his they are given by inspiration from God, are the breath apostles: these were real things, to answer some wise of God, who is the God of truth, and therefore to be reends and purposes in the world; when those done by ceived, “not as the word of man, but as in truth the word the magicians were only in show, in appearance, and of God”, (1 Thess. 2:13) the legal part of them is truth; by a sort of legerdemain; as those done by antichrist, the apostle speaks of the “truth in the law”, known by in the sight of men, as they imagine, whereby he de- men, (Rom. 2:20) there is not a precept in it but what is ceives them that dwell on the earth; and therefore are true and right; “The judgments of the Lord are true and called “lying wonders”, feigned things, which have no righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:9). And the gospel part of truth in them, (Rev. 13:13, 14; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10) but the them is eminently the word of truth, (Eph. 1:13) and all wonderful works of God are true, and without deceit, as the doctrines of it, which are “pure words, as silver tried are all his judgments he executes by the sword, famine, in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Ps. 12:6). pestilence, &c. And the truth and veracity of God appears in the ful(3). The works of grace done by him, his acts of filment of the predictions, promises, and threatenings grace, both in eternity and time; his choice of persons contained in his word, which is the same with his faithto eternal life, is true, firm, and real, the foundation of fulness; which we shall particularly treat of in the next God, which stands sure; the covenant of grace, made chapter, being naturally led to it; the veracity of God is in Christ, full of blessings and promises, faithfully the foundation of his faithfulness; and his faithfulness performed; the mission of Christ into the world, and is a branch of that; and they are often put one for the his incarnation, who was really made flesh, and dwelt other, and signify the same thing. among men; the truth of which the apostle confirms by the various senses of seeing, hearing, and handling (1 John 1:1). Justification by his righteousness is really Chapter 23 imputed to his people, and by which they truly become OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD righteous; and not in a putative and imaginary sense; Faithfulness is an attribute that belongs to God; pardon by his blood, which is not merely typical, as by from whence he is denominated the “faithful God” the blood of slain beasts, but real; atonement by the sac- (Deut. 7:9). It is essential to him, and without which rifice of himself, which he really and truly offered up to he would not be God; to be unfaithful, would be to act God; and sanctification by the Spirit, which is the new contrary to his nature, to deny himself, (2 Tim. 2:13) man, created in righteousness and true holiness; and an unfaithful God would be no God at all; it is a most not outward, typical, and ceremonial, nor feigned and glorious perfection of his nature; it is “great”, like himhypocritical: and adoption, by which the saints are now self; yea, it is infinite; “Great is thy faithfulness”, (Lam. really the sons of God; though it does not yet appear 3:23) it relies to all persons and things God has any conwhat they shall be; and to which the Spirit bears a true cern with; it is all around him; he is, as it were, clothed and real witness; and which is unto an inheritance, real, and covered with it; and there is none in any creature solid, and substantial. like unto it (Ps. 89:8). There is faithfulness in the holy III. God is true in his words, in his essential Word, angels, and in good men, but not like what is in God; his Son, who was “in the beginning with God”; had a and therefore he puts no trust in them, (Job 4:18) his true and real existence with him, and was God, real- faithfulness is invariably the same; it has never failed in ly and truly God; he is true in his person and natures, anyone instance, nor never will; it is established in the the true God and eternal life, who took unto him a true heavens, and will continue to all generations, (Ps. 89:2,
23 OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD 41 24, 33, 119:90; Josh. 23:14) otherwise there would be no to be fulfilled, shall be most certainly done; as the judgfirm foundation for trust and confidence in him; but he ment of it, the end and consummation of all things in it, is the “faithful Creator”, and covenant God and Father the conflagration of it, and the making new heavens and of his people; to whom they may safely commit them- a new earth, wherein will dwell righteousness (2 Peter selves, and depend upon him for all mercies promised, 3:7-13). both temporal and spiritual, (1 Peter 4:19; 1 Thess. 5:23, Secondly, The faithfulness of God appears in the ful24) for the faithfulness of God chiefly lies in the per- filment of what he has said with respect to Christ, and formance of his word, which is certain, with respect to the salvation of men by him; both of what he has said all that is spoken by him; for “hath he said, and shall he of him, and of what he has said to him: and, indeed, the not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it faithfulness of God is displayed in Christ as in a mirror. good?” Verily he will (Num. 23:19; Luke 1:45). And it 1. In the performance of what he has said of him; appears, as that he should be born of a woman, be of the seed of First, In the performance of what he has said with Abraham, spring from the tribe of Judah, arise out of respect to the world in general; as, that it shall never the family of David, be born of a virgin at Bethlehem, more be destroyed by a flood, as it once was; and for a and converse much in Galilee, (Gen. 3:15, 22:18, 49:10; token and confirmation of it, God has set the rainbow in 2 Sam. 7:12, 13; Mic. 5:2; Isa. 7:14 9:1, 2) and suffer, and the cloud; and now four thousand years are gone since die, and work out the salvation of his people, (Ps. 22:1the covenant was made; and God has been faithful to it, 31; Isa. 53:1-12, 25:9 35:4, 49:6) all which has been fully though the earth has been sometimes threatened with accomplished (Matthew 1:1, 18-23, 2:5, 6, 8, 11, 22, 23, destruction by violent storms, and sudden inundations; 4:13-16; Luke 1:68-72; 1 Cor. 15:3). see (Gen. 9:11-16; Isa. 54:9). Also that the ordinances of 2. In the performance of what he said to Christ, or heaven, the sun, moon, and stars, shall not depart, but promised him; as that he would help him, and strengthalways continue in their being, use, and influence; and en him, as man and mediator, in the great work of renow they have kept their course, or station, and have demption and salvation; and which help and strength done their office, exactly and punctually, for almost Christ expected, and believed he should have, and six thousand years; see (Jer. 31:35, 36, 33:25). Likewise had it, (Ps. 89:21; Isa. 50:7, 9, 49:8) and that though he that the revolutions of the time, and seasons of the year, should die, and be laid in the grave and buried; yet he should keep their constant course; that, “while the earth would raise him from the dead, and that on the third remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, day; and which was accordingly done, (Ps. 16:10; Hosea and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not 6:2; 1 Cor. 15:4) and that when he had done his work, cease”, (Gen. 8:22) and so it has always been, and still is, being delivered unto death for the sins of his people, in one part of the world or another, according to the dif- and raised again for their justification, he should be ferent climates. Remarkable was the faithfulness of God glorified at his right hand, in his human nature; and to the Jewish nation, in that their land required rain accordingly, Christ having done his work, pleaded this only at two seasons of the year, and God promised it to promise, and it was fulfilled, (Ps. 110:1; John 17:4, 5; them, and which they always had; though sometimes so Phil. 2:9, 10) and that he should see his seed have a nuungrateful as not to fear him who gave them rain, “both merous offspring, which should continue to the end of the former and the latter, in his season”, and “reserved” the world, (Isa. 53:10; Ps. 89:4, 29, 36) and which has for them “the appointed weeks of the harvest”, (Jer. 5:24; been accomplished in the numerous conversions both see Deut. 11:14, 15) and whereas God has given reason among Jews and Gentiles, in the first ages of Christianto expect that his creatures should be preserved in their ity; and which have continued, more or less, ever since; being, and provided for by him, with the necessaries and will still more manifestly appear when the nation of life; he has not left himself without a witness to his of the Jews shall be born at once, and the fullness of the faithfulness, in all ages and nations, giving rain from Gentiles be brought in. heaven and fruitful seasons; and so filling the hearts of 3. The faithfulness of God is displayed in the perhis creatures with food and gladness; whose eyes all of son, office, and works of Christ. This, as all other divine them wait upon him, and he gives them their meat in perfections, is common to each person in the Godhead, due season, (Acts 14:17; Ps. 36:5, 6, 145:15, 16). And and shines resplendently in the Son of God, “the brightfrom all this it may be strongly concluded, that what- ness of his Father’s glory”, who has every perfection the soever God has said concerning the world, which is yet Father has; so that he that has seen the Son has seen
42 23 OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD the Father, the same perfections being in the one as in his Father, and say, “Behold, I, and the children which the other, and this of faithfulness among the rest; which God hath given me”; not one is lost (Heb. 2:13). Christ is to be seen in Christ as in a mirror, or glass; and an is entrusted with a fullness of grace, to supply the wants estimate may in some measure be taken, and judgment of his people; it has been his Father’s pleasure, that it made of the faithfulness of God, by what appears in his should dwell in him for their use; he has deposited it Son; who has been “faithful to him that appointed him” with him, to communicate it to them, as they need it; to his office as Mediator. Moses was faithful in the house and he has been faithful to do it, in all ages and genof God, as a servant; but Christ as a Son over his own erations; he has been to all his churches, and to all his house, (Heb. 3:2-6) and whose faithfulness may be ob- saints, in every period of time, “A fountain of gardens, a served, well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon”, (Song (l). In the performance of his engagements: he en- 4:15) saints both of the Old and New Testament, have gaged to be the Surety of his people; to stand in their “all received of his fullness, and grace for grace” (John place and stead; to do and suffer for them what should 1:16). Eternal life and happiness is in his hands, and he be required, and to take care of all their affairs and con- has a power to give it to as many as the Father has given cerns for time and eternity; and accordingly, he is be- him; and he is faithful in the use of that power, and does come the Surety of the better testament, (Heb. 7:22) he give it to all his sheep, so that none of them shall ever engaged to be the Saviour and Redeemer of them; he is perish, (1 John 5:11; John 17:2, 10:28) yea, the glory of often spoken of as such in the Old Testament; that is, as all the divine perfections, as concerned in the salvation one who had engaged to work out their redemption and of men, was entrusted with Christ; and he has been salvation; and which he has now obtained, and become faithful “in things pertaining to God”, as well as in makthe author of, (Heb. 5:9, 9:12)he engaged to come into ing “reconciliation for the sins of the people”; and in dothe world, in order to do this work, saying, “Lo, I come”; ing the one he has taken care of the other. The glory of and he is come, and has done it; and that he came into God is great in the salvation of men, even of his justice the world, and has done this for sinners, the chief of sin- and holiness; as well as of his wisdom, power, faithfulners, is a “faithful saying”; in which the faithfulness of ness, grace, and mercy (Heb. 2:17; Ps. 20:5, 85:10). God in his promises, and of Christ in his engagements, (3). Christ has appeared to be faithful in the exercise is abundantly displayed, (1 Tim. 1:15) he engaged to of his offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King: in the exercise come and fulfil the law, both its precepts and its penalty, of his prophetical office; for which he was abundantly and to become a sacrifice for sin; ceremonial sacrifices qualified, by lying in the bosom of his Father, and so being insufficient, (Ps. 40:6-8) and he is accordingly be- privy to his whole mind and will, which he has faithfully come the fulfilling “end of the law for righteousness to declared; all that he heard of the Father, all the words all that believe”; and has offered himself, soul and body, and doctrines he gave him, as man, he made known without spot to God; “a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling sa- to his disciples; in doing which, he sought not his own vour”; and whereby sin has been fully expiated and put glory, but the glory of him that sent him; and therefore away, (Rom. 10:4; Heb. 9:14, 26, 10:5-10) he engaged to must be true and faithful, and no unrighteousness or pay off the debts of his people, and by being their Surety, unfaithfulness in him, (John 1:18, 7:16-18, 15:15, 17:8) become responsible for them, and to clear off all their and therefore is justly entitled to be called the Amen, scores; which he has done to the uttermost farthing, and and faithful Witness (Rev. 3:14). In the exercise of his blotted out the handwriting of ordinances against them. priestly office; in which he is faithful to him that apIn short, he engaged to feed the flock of God, to take the pointed him; and rightly bears the character of a faithful whole care and oversight of it; and he does feed his flock high priest, in that he has offered up himself to make like a shepherd, and has shown himself to be the good atonement for the sins of his people; and as the Advoand faithful one, by laying down his life for the sheep, cate for them, even Jesus Christ the righteous, faithful, (Zech. 11:4, 7; Isa. 40:11; John 10:14). and true; and takes perfect care, in all things, of the (2). The faithfulness of Christ is seen in his dis- house of God, over which he is a priest (Heb. 2:17, 3:1,2, charge of the trust reposed in him, which is very large 10:21, 9:14; 1 John 2:1). And in the exercise of his kingly and great; the Father hath “given all things into his office; all whose administrations in it are just and true; hand”, (John 3:35) all the persons of his elect to be kept, righteousness being the girdle of his loins, and faithfulpreserved, and saved by him; and so they are and shall ness the girdle of his reins; and with great propriety is he be, even everyone of them, whom Christ will present to called “faithful and true, since in righteousness he doth
23 OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD 43 judge and make war” (Rev. 15:3, 19:11; Isa. 11:5). of it, with respect to his special people. God is denom(4). The faithfulness of Christ is manifest in the ful- inated “faithful”, from his keeping covenant and mercy filment of his promises, which he made to his disciples; with them, (Deut. 7:9) every covenant God has made as, that he would not leave them comfortless, but come with man, he has been faithful in: he made a covenant and see them; as he did, after his resurrection, and com- with Adam, as the head and representative of his posforted them with his presence, and filled them with joy terity, promising a continuance of happiness to him and at the sight of him, (John 14:18, 20:20) that they should his, provided he remained in his state of innocence; receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and therefore were bid and threatening with death, in case of disobedience. to wait at Jerusalem for it, and where it was bestowed Adam was unfaithful, and broke the covenant; “they, upon them, on the day of Pentecost, in a very large and like Adam, have transgressed the covenant” (Hosea extraordinary manner, (Acts 1:4, 2:4, 33) that he would 6:7). But God was faithful to it, and deprived him of be with them in the administration of his word and or- his happiness, and pronounced the sentence of death on dinances; and accordingly did go forth and work with him and his. God made a covenant with Noah, and all them, confirming the word by signs following, (Mat- the creatures, promising that he would no more destroy thew 28:19, 20; Mark 16:20) yea, he has promised his the world by a flood; and he has faithfully kept it, as presence with his ministers and churches to the end of before observed. He made a covenant with Abraham, the world, and that even “where two or three are gath- that he would make him the father of many nations, and ered together in his name, he will be in the midst of that kings should spring from him, and that he would them”, (Matthew 18:20 28:20) and he makes his word give to his posterity the land of Canaan: the former part good, which the experience of his ministers and peo- of which was verified in the Ishmaelites, Israelites, Edple in all ages confirms: he has promised also to come omites, Midianites, and others, with their kings, which again, and take his disciples and faithful followers to were of him: and the latter part, by putting the people himself, that where he is they may be also; and which of Israel in possession of Canaan, by Joshua; which they was not only verified in his immediate disciples, but in held long by the tenure of their obedience, according his saints in all ages, whom, when they have served their to his promise; but when they broke the covenant, he generation according to the will of God, he comes and destroyed them from it, as he threatened, (Gen. 17:5, 6; takes them to himself, by death; and “to them that look Josh. 21:43, 23:16). He made a covenant at Sinai, with for him, will he appear a second time, without sin, unto all the people of Israel; and, according to his engagesalvation” (John 14:2, 3; Heb. 9:28). ments, continued to them their blessings, natural, civil, (5). The faithfulness of Christ may be observed in and religious; but they were not steadfast in his covehis concern with the covenant of grace, and the promis- nant, and he dispossessed them of them. But the grand es of it; the covenant was made with him as the Head and and principal covenant, is the covenant of grace; which Representative of his people, and stands fast with him; God has made in Christ with all his elect, and is ordered all the blessings of it are lodged with him, and faithful- in all things, and sure; and which he will never break, ly dispensed by him; the promises were made to him, and they cannot; and which will never be removed, but who only actually existed when they were made, and to ever be inviolably kept; and there are promises of variwhom only they could be given; he was the Amen, and ous sorts, which God has graciously made to his people, faithful Witness of them, of their being made; and they and which are faithfully performed by him. are Yea and Amen in him; by whose blood the blessings 1. Some of a temporal nature; for “godliness” and and promises of it are ratified and confirmed; and there- godly men have “the promise of the life that now is”, fore called, “the blood of the everlasting covenant”: and of things belonging to it, as well as “of that which is to it is in and through him that believers come to have an come”, (1 Tim. 4:8) these their heavenly Father knows interest in the promises, a right unto them, and to be they have need of, and therefore provides them for partakers of them, (Ps. 89:3, 24; Rev. 3:14; 2 Cor. 1:20; them, and promises them unto them. He has said, “that Heb. 13:20; Eph 3:6). And now by the faithfulness of they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing”, Christ thus manifestly displayed, may be learnt some- (Ps. 34:10) they shall have that which is good, as every what more of the attribute of faithfulness, as it is in God. creature of God is good, good food and good raiment; Which leads on to consider, though it may be but mean, yet it is good, and better Thirdly, The faithfulness of God in the performance than the best of men deserve; and they want not any, of what he has said in the covenant, and the promises that God, in his infinite wisdom, sees is good for them;
44 23 OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD for though they and others may think it would be better ence from them totally and finally: it assures them of his for them if they had a greater affluence of the things of protection, that he will be all around them, guard them, this life; but God thinks otherwise, and knows it would and secure them, preserve and keep them by his power, be to their hurt, as sometimes riches are: he has bid his through faith unto salvation, as he does; for though they people “trust in the Lord, and do good”, and has prom- may fall into sin, yet they rise again by his grace; and ised, they “shall be fed”, (Ps. 37:3) not all of them with though they fall into temptation, and by it, yet they are dainties and delicious food, but with food convenient delivered out of it; they are kept from a final and total for them; he has assured them, their “bread shall be giv- falling away; they are not of them that draw back unto en them”, and their: “waters shall be sure”, (Isa. 33:16) perdition: in a word, this promise is expressive of their and this is sufficient to support and confirm his faith- enjoyment of God here, and for evermore; and he is fulness: nor is the poverty of some of God’s people any their shield, and exceeding great reward; their portion objection to it, since he has nowhere promised them the in life, at death, and for ever; their all in all. There are riches of this world, and has given them no reason to many particular spiritual promises made to the people expect them; but he has promised them better riches, of God; and which are made good by him; as, that he durable riches, and righteousness, the riches of grace will sprinkle clean water upon them, and cleanse them and glory, and these he gives to them; see a testimo- from all their sins; which is to be understood of justiny from David’s experience of the faithfulness of God, fying grace, through the blood of Christ; that he will with respect to temporal things (Ps. 37:25). God has not forgive their iniquities, and remember their sins no promised his people security from outward afflictions; more; and he is just in doing it, upon the account of but rather has suggested to them that they may look for the blood of his Son, and faithful to his own promise, them; since his people are described as a poor and af- (1 John 1:9) that he will give them new hearts and new flicted people; and it is their common case; many are the spirits, which he does in regeneration; and take away afflictions of the righteous; it is what they are appoint- the heart of stone, and give an heart of flesh; as he does, ed to, and what are appointed for them; but then God when he removes the hardness of the heart, and gives has promised that they shall work for their good; either evangelical repentance unto life; that he will put his laws for their temporal good, as Jacob’s afflictions worked for in them, and write them in their minds; not only give his; or for their spiritual good, the exercise and increase knowledge of them, but both a disposition and grace to of grace and holiness; and always for their eternal good, observe them; working in them both to will and to do of (2 Cor. 4:17) and also that he will be with them in them, his good pleasure: that he will put his Spirit into them, support them under them, and deliver out of them in and give them spiritual strength to keep his statutes, and due time: all which is faithfully performed by him, (1 perform every duty; that he will carry on his good work Cor. 10:13). of grace in them, and perform it, until the day of Christ; 2. Others are of a spiritual nature; and the princi- of which they may be confident, since he has promised pal of these is, and which is the sum of the covenant, it; that he will give them more grace, a sufficiency of it, “They shall be my people, and I will be their God”, (Jer. and supply all their need out of the fullness in Christ; 32:38) and which appears in their election, redemption, and that his fear shall be continually in their hearts; and and the effectual calling; which is saying, that he has a they shall not depart from him, but persevere in faith special love and affection for them, and will continue and holiness to the end. All which promises, and more, it, as he does: nor are his chastisements of them, his are faithfully and truly performed in all his people (see hiding his face from them for a time, his displeasure at Jer. 31:33,34, 32:38-40; Ezek. 36:25-27). 3c. There are them, and being angry with them, any objection to the other promises which respect the life to come; the eterperpetuity of his love; since these are not contrary to nal happiness of the saints in another world: the apostle it, but rather the fruits of it, and for their good: it sig- speaks of the promise of this, “as the promise”, by way of nifies, that they shall have his gracious presence with eminency, as if it was the only promise, or, however, the them, and may expect it, and which they have; nor do principal one, in which all others issue and end; “This is their doubts, and fears, and complaints disprove it, (Isa. the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life”, 41:10, 49:14-16) which are generally owing to their ig- (1 John 2:25) and this is an ancient one, made before the norance and unbelief; God is with them, and they know world began, and by God, that “cannot lie”, (Titus 1:2) it; however, he is never far from them, nor long; he does who is faithful and true, and will most certainly pernot depart from them, nor withdraw his gracious pres- form it; wherefore, “Blessed is the man that endureth
PSALM 109 45 temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the 3 AN INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 109 crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them By Dr. John Gill that love him”, (James 1:12). 4. Fourthly, The faithfulThis psalm was written by David, under the inspiness of God appears in fulfilling his threatenings, as well ration of the Holy Spirit, concerning Judas the betrayer as his promises. God threatened Adam, that in the day of Christ, as is certain from \\#Ac 1:16,20\\ hence it is he eat of the forbidden fruit, he should surely die; and used to be called by the ancients the Iscariotic psalm. he immediately became mortal, death began at once to Whether the occasion of it was the rebellion of Absawork in him; his soul was seized directly with a spiritual lom, as some, or the persecution of Saul, as Kimchi; and or moral death, guilt, and terror of conscience, a sense whoever David might have in view particularly, whethof divine wrath, and deprivation of the divine presence, er Ahithophel, or Doeg the Edomite, as is most likely; and he became liable to eternal death; nor had he any yet it is evident that the Holy Ghost foresaw the sin of reason to expect any other, until he heard that the seed Judas, and prophesies of that, and of the ruin and misof the woman should bruise the serpent’s head; and the ery that should come upon him; for the imprecations sentence of death passed on him, and all his posterity in in this psalm are no other than predictions of future him, as soon as he had sinned, according to the divine events, and so are not to be drawn into an example by threatening (Rom. 5:12). God threatened the inhabit- men; nor do they breathe out anything contrary to the ants of the old world with a flood to destroy them, for spirit of Christianity, but are proofs of it, since what is their impiety and wickedness; and though his patience here predicted has been exactly accomplished. The title and forbearance were for a long time exercised, yet he in the Syriac version is, ``a psalm of David when they was faithful to his word, and brought it upon the world created Absalom king without his knowledge, and for of the ungodly, and destroyed them all. God threatened this cause he was slain; but to us it expounds the sufferthe people of Israel with captivity, and other judgments, ings of the Christ of God;’’ and indeed he is the person if they walked not in his ways, and broke his statutes; that is all along speaking in this psalm. of which see (Lev. 26:1-46; Deut. 28:1-68) all which grievous threatenings, and sore judgments, have been exactly fulfilled in that people, and remain to this day; Psalms 109:1 who are a standing proof of God’s faithfulness in this Hold not thy peace respect. And as God has threatened men with the burnOr be not as a deaf or dumb man, or like one that ing of the world, and the works of it, and the wicked turns a deaf ear and will give no answer; so the Lord in it; and damnation to all unbelieving and impenitent seems to his people when he does not give an immedisinners, they may be assured of it, and expect it; for as ate answer to their prayers, and does not arise to help it is most true, and may be depended upon, that “he them; he seems to have forsaken them, and to stand at that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved”; so it is a distance from them; nor does he avenge them of their equally as true, and as surely to be depended on, that enemies; it is the Messiah, as man, that puts up this pe“he that believeth not, shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). tition, and it agrees with ( Psalms 22:2 ) . Nor is it any objection to the faithfulness of God in fulfilling his threatenings, that Nineveh was spared, when O God of my praise; it was threatened, that in forty days it should be overworthy of all praise, because of the perfections of his thrown; since there was a condition implied, a secret nature, and for the mercies he bestows; and is and ought proviso made, “except they repented”; and which their to be the constant object of the praise of his people, and hope of mercy, and the mercy shown them upon their was the object of the praise of Christ; see ( Psalms 22:22 repentance, fully confirm; and so the veracity and faith- Psalms 22:55 ) , who praised him for his wonderful forfulness of God is sufficiently secured; and, indeed, in mation as man, having such a holy human nature, so many promises and threatenings, respecting temporal suitable to his divine Person, and so fit for the service of things, a condition is either openly expressed, or secret- his people; for his preservation from his enemies, and ly understood; according to which God in providence the deliverance of him from death and the grave, by his proceeds, (Jer. 18:7-10). resurrection; for hearing his petitions, and for the special grace bestowed on his people; see ( Psalms 139:14 ) ( Psalms 118:21 Psalms 118:22 ) ( John 11:41 John 11:42 ) ( Matthew 11:25 Matthew 11:26 ) . Or, “O God of my
46 PSALM 109 glorying F23”; in whom he gloried, of whom he boast- an hostile spirit, enemies and enmity itself against him; ed; as he often with exultation spoke of him as his God fought against him both with words and blows, with and Father: or, “the God that praises me”; for his praise their tongues and with their fists; sought his life, and at was not of men, but of God, who by a voice from heav- length took it away; he was attacked by the body of the en declared him his beloved Son, in whom he was well Jewish nation, and by the whole posse of devils; and all pleased, ( Matthew 3:17 ) ( 17:5 ) . this without any cause or just reason: he gave them no occasion for this enmity and malice, and opposition to FOOTNOTES: him; and it was in the issue without effect, it was in vain F23 (ytlht) “gloriationis meae”, Cocceius; “de quo and to no purpose; for though they gained their point glorior”, so some in Vatablus. in putting him to death, yet he rose again a triumphant Conqueror over them all. Psalms 109:2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the Psalms 109:4 deceitful are opened against me For my love they are my adversaries For the love Or “of deceit” F24 itself; most wicked and very that Christ showed to the Jews; to their bodies, in going deceitful men, who sometimes flattered and pretend- about and healing all manner of diseases among them; ed friendship, as the Jews did to Christ, when they to their souls, in preaching, the Gospel to them in each designed ill against him; though at other times their of their cities; and for the love he showed to mankind in mouths were opened, and they poured out their calum- coming into the world to save them, which should have nies and reproaches very freely and largely; traducing commanded love again; but instead of this they became his person, and aspersing his character as a wicked man; his implacable adversaries: they acted the part of Satan; blaspheming his miracles, as if done by the help of the they were as so many Satans to him, as the word signidevil; charging his doctrine with novelty, falsehood, fies. and blasphemy; loading him with invidious names, as But I give myself unto prayer; Samaritan, madman, &c; representing him as an enemy to the state, as a seditious person, and a disturber or “I am a man of prayer” F25; as Aben Ezra and of the nation’s peace; particularly their mouths were Kimchi supply it; so he was in the days of his flesh, ( opened against him when they called for his crucifix- Hebrews 5:7 ) , he was constant at it, and fervent in it; ion, and would have no denial; and especially when he sometimes a whole night together at it: his usual methwas on the cross, where they gaped upon him with their od was, when at Jerusalem, to teach in the temple in the mouths, and poured out their scoffs and jeers at him; daytime, and at night to go to the mount of Olives, and see ( Psalms 22:14 ) . there abide and pray, ( Luke 6:12 ) ( 21:37 ) ( 22:44 ) . They have spoken against me with a lying tongue, This was the armour he alone made use of against his false witnesses rose up against him, and laid things to enemies, when they fought against him, and acted the his charge he knew nothing of, and which they could part of an adversary to him; he betook himself to nothnot prove, ( Matthew 26:59-61 ) . ing else but prayer; he did not return railing for railing, but committed himself in prayer to God, who judgeth FOOTNOTES: righteously, ( 1 Peter 2:23 ) , yea, he prayed for those his F24 (hmrm yp) “os doli”, Vatablus, Cocceius; “os adversaries: and so Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret it, fraudis”, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth. that he was a man of prayer for them, and prayed for them; as it is certain Christ did, when he was encomPsalms 109:3 passed by his enemies, and they were venting all their They compassed me about also with words of hatred spite and malice against him, ( Luke 23:34 ) . They surrounded him as he hung on the cross, and FOOTNOTES: expressed their malice and hatred against him; then was F25 (hlpt ynaw) “et ego vir orationis”, Pagninus, Gehe enclosed with these spiteful snarling dogs, and en- jerus. compassed by them as with so many bees, who everyone left their sting in him, ( Psalms 22:16 ) ( 118:12 ) . Psalms 109:5 And fought against me without a cause: they were of And they have rewarded me evil for good
PSALM 109 47 For the good words and sound doctrine he delivered of the devil: so Judas is said to go to his own place, ( to them; for the good works and miracles he wrought Acts 1:25 ) . among them, to the healing of them; see ( John 10:32 ) . And let his prayer become sin, And hatred for my love; he came to seek and save that which was lost, and yet they hated him, and would let it be fruitless and in vain; and so far from benot have him to rule over them, ( Luke 19:10 Luke 19:14 ing heard, let it he treated as an abomination; let it be ). considered as an aggravation of his crime, as Haman’s was, ( est 7:7 est 7:8 ) , let his prayer being without faith Psalms 109:6 in the blood of Christ, be reckoned sinful, as it was; let Set thou a wicked man over him his cries, and tears, and repentance issue in desperation, and that in sin, as it did in destroying himself, ( MatOr “them”, as the Syriac version; over everyone of thew 27:5 ) . his adversaries, and all of them: and which may be interpreted, as it is by Cocceius, of tyrannical princes and FOOTNOTES: governors, set over the Jews, as Tiberius, Caius, ClaudiF26 (evr auy) “exeat impius”, Pagninus, Montaus, Nero and their deputies, Pilate, Felix, Festus, Florus; nus, Vatablus, De Dieu, Gejerus; “damnatus”, Junius & all wicked men, and which were a judgment on them for Tremellius; “condemnatus”, Cocceius. their usage of Christ. Though here some single person is designed, even Judas, notorious for his enmity and Psalms 109:8 ingratitude to Christ; and by the wicked one set over Let his days be few him may be meant Satan, as in the next clause, as he is The days of men in common are but few at most: sometimes called, ( Matthew 13:38 ) ( 1 John 5:18 ) , into length of days, either beyond or according to the usual whose hands and power Judas was put, under whose in- term of life, is reckoned a blessing; and to be cut off in the fluence he was; who entered into him, took possession midst of a man’s days a curse; when this is by the immeof him, and put it into his heart to betray his Master, ( diate hand of God, as a visible token of his displeasure; John 13:2 John 13:27 ) . or by the hand of the civil magistrate, for some capital offence; or by a man’s own hands, which was the case of And let Satan stand at his right hand; Judas; whose days were but few, in comparison of the other apostles, who outlived him many years; especially to direct and influence him, to solicit and tempt the Apostle John, who lived sixty years after, at least. The him to do the evil he did, and to accuse him for it when Syriac version renders it, “let their days be few”; and so done; see ( Zechariah 3:1 ) . it reads the whole context in the plural number, both in the verses preceding and following; and the whole may Psalms 109:7 be interpreted of the Jews, as it is by Theodoret, as well When he shall be judged, let him be condemned as of Judas; since they were concerned in the same sin, When he shall be arraigned at the bar of his own and are equally charged as the betrayers and murderers conscience, and be charged with the sin of which he is of Christ, ( Acts 7:52 ) , and their days as a nation and guilty, let conscience, which is as a thousand witnesses, church after the death of Christ were very few; within rise up against him, and condemn him; so it did Judas, forty years, or thereabout, their city and temple were ( Matthew 26:1 Matthew 26:3 Matthew 26:4 ) , or when destroyed. he shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ at the last day, And let another take his office; let him go out a wicked,
or bishopric, as the Septuagint version and the Apostle Peter call it; who cites this passage, and applies or a guilty or condemned man F26; let him hear the it to Judas, in ( Acts 1:20 ) . His office was the office of awful sentence, “go, thou cursed, into everlasting fire”: an apostle, an high and honourable one, the chief office and let him go out immediately from the presence of in the church: it was a charge, as the word signifies; a the Judge into eternal punishment, the condemnation charge of souls, an oversight of the flock; which is to be
48 PSALM 109 taken not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lu- and very distressing. cre’s sake, but of a ready mind. Judas took it for filthy lucre’s sake, and it was taken away from him, and given to Let them seek their bread also out of their desolate another; to Matthias, on whom the lot fell, and who was places; numbered with the apostles in his room, ( Acts 1:21-26 ) . This is true also of the priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, either describing, as Kimchi thinks, the miserable who were divested of their offices in a very little time; cottages, forlorn and desolate houses, in which they three shepherds were cut off in one month, ( Zechariah lived, and from whence they went out to everyone that 11:8 ) . There being a change of the priesthood, law, and passed by, to ask relief of them; or it may be rendered, ordinances, there was a change of offices and officers; new ordinances were appointed by Christ, and new ofbecause of their desolate places ficers created, on whom gifts were bestowed suitable to their work. F2; or, “after them”; so the Targum, “after their desolation was made”; when their grand house was left desPsalms 109:9 olate, their temple, as our Lord said it should, and was, Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. ( Matthew 23:38 ) , and all their other houses in Jerusalem and in Judea; then were they obliged to seek their This sometimes is the case of good men, who leave bread of others elsewhere, and by begging. The Syriac widows and fatherless children, whom the Lord shows version wants this verse. mercy to; being the Father of the fatherless, and the Judge of the widow, ( Psalms 68:5 ) , but sometimes it FOOTNOTES: is threatened and comes as a judgment, when the Lord F1 Mifchar Hapeninim apud Buxtorf. Florileg. Heb. shows no mercy and favour to them, ( Exodus 22:24 ) p. 262, 263. ( Isaiah 9:17 ) . And this is the case here, which very F2 So De Dieu, Gejerus, and some in Michaelis. probably was literally fulfilled in Judas, who might have a wife and children; since it looks as if the other apostles had, and certain it is that one of them had a wife, even Psalms 109:11 Peter, in the times of Christ; see ( 1 Corinthians 9:5 ) ( Let the extortioner catch all that he hath Matthew 8:14 ) . And this was verified in the people of the Jews; whom the Lord divorced from himself, and Or, “lay a snare for all” F3; as the Romans did, by wrote a “loammi” upon them, and left them as orphans bringing in their army, invading the land of Judea, and and fatherless, ( Hosea 1:9 ) . This will never be the case besieging the city of Jerusalem; who are “the extortioner of Christ’s people, or the Christian church, ( John 14:18 or exacter that demanded tribute of them”; which they ) , though it will be of the antichristian one, ( Revelation refused to pay, and therefore they seized on all they had 18:7 Revelation 18:8 ) . for it. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, “the creditor”; who sometimes for a debt would take wife Psalms 109:10 and children, and all that a man had; see ( 2 Kings 4:1 2 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg Kings 4:2 ) ( Matthew 18:25 ) . It might be literally true of Judas; who dying in debt, his wife and children, and Wander from place to place, begging their bread: all he had, might be laid hold on for payment. this is denied of the children of good men in David’s time, ( Psalms 37:25 ) yet was threatened to the chilAnd let the stranger spoil his labour; dren of Eli, ( 1 Samuel 2:36 ) and was very likely literally true of the children of Judas; and was certainly plunder his house of all his goods and substance he the case of multitudes of the children of the Jews, the had been labouring for: which was true of the Romans, posterity of them that crucified Christ, at the time of who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; who their destruction by the Romans; when great numbers came into the land, and spoiled their houses, fields, and were dispersed, and wandered about in various coun- vineyards, they had been labouring in; they took away tries, as vagabonds, begging their bread from door to their place and nation, and all they had, ( John 11:48 ) . door; which is reckoned F1 by them a great affliction,
PSALM 109 49 FOOTNOTES: Montanus F3 (vqny) “illaqueet”, Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Piscator, Gejerus; “iretiat”, Vatablus, Michaelis. Psalms 109:14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with Psalms 109:12 the Lord, Let there be none to extend mercy unto him &c.] Not of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; who, though No pity is ever expressed at hearing or reading the they had their failings, they were not remembered, and sad case of Judas; and though the Jews were pitied of much less punished in their posterity, but were forgiven: those that carried them captive to Babylon, ( Psalms rather of the Amorites and Hittites; the one being said 106:46 ) , yet, in their last destruction by the Romans, to be the father, and the other the mother, of the Jews, ( no mercy was shown them; the wrath of God and man Ezekiel 16:3 ) , they succeeding them in their land, and came upon them to the uttermost, ( 1 Thessalonians imitating their example, and committing the same sins 2:16 ) . they did: or rather of their wicked ancestors, who killed the prophets; and the measure of whose sins Judas and Neither let there be any to favour his fatherless chil- the Jews filled up in crucifying Christ, see ( Matthew dren: 23:31 Matthew 23:32 ) . The iniquity of these may be to bestow any benefit upon them; to relieve their said to be remembered, it not being forgiven, when it wants, nor to protect their persons; no more respect was brought to account, and punished in their posterishown them than to their father, being shunned and ty, doing the same wicked actions; compare with this ( hated for their father’s sake. Revelation 16:19 ) ( 18:5 ) . Psalms 109:13 Let his posterity be cut off
And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out: or forgiven; but stand as a debt to be accounted for: meaning not the sin of his mother Eve, nor of his immeAs the seed of the wicked are said to be, ( Psalms diate parent; but either of the Hittite as before, or of the 37:28 ) , or cut down, as a tree to the very root; as the synagogue of the Jews, or Jerusalem, which killed the Jewish nation was by the axe of God’s judgment, which, prophets of the Lord. John says, was laid to the root of the tree, and the blow just going to be given, as it was in a few years after, ( Psalms 109:15 Matthew 3:10 ) or, as the Targum, Let them be before the Lord continually And not cast behind his back, or into the depths of ``let his end be for destruction;’’ the sea, never to be seen more, as sins are when forgiven; but be always in sight, as loathsome and abomand so the Syriac version, “let their end be for de- inable, and causing those that committed them to be struction”; their last end, which it is said shall be cut abhorred for them; and be before him, as a Judge, to off, and issue in death, eternal death; when the end of examine them, the nature and kind of them, and to cona good man is peace and eternal life, see ( Psalms 37:37 demn and punish for them; see ( Exodus 20:5 ) . The Psalms 37:38 ) ( Romans 6:21 ) . Targum is, And in the generation following let their name be blotted out:
``let them be before the Word of the Lord always;’’ see ( Hebrews 4:13 ) .
or, in another age F4; the next age, the third generation; meaning the name of the posterity of Judas, and That he may cut off the memory of them from the the name of the people of the Jews, so as to be spoken earth; of with honour and reputation; but, instead of that, they so that they may not be remembered with any apare for a taunt, a proverb, and a curse, in all places. plause, or their name spoken of with any commendation; see ( Job 18:17 ) . FOOTNOTES: F4 (rxa rwdb) “in generatione altera”, Pagninus, Psalms 109:16
50 PSALM 109 Because that he remembered not to show mercy dren, saying, “His blood be upon us and them”, ( MatAs Judas did not; neither to the poor, whom he cared thew 27:25 ) and which accordingly came upon them, not for, ( John 12:6 ) nor to Christ, whom he betrayed and remains to this day. with a kiss to his enemies: nor had these words of Christ any effect upon him, to move his pity and compassion, As he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from “Friend, wherefore art thou come?” ( Matthew 26:49 him; Matthew 26:50 ) nor did the Jews show mercy to him: Judas delighted not in the good will and good wishes they were a merciless and hardhearted people; though of any to Christ, as appears from his dislike of the ointmercy was one of the weightier matters of the law, this ment being poured on his head by the poor woman, in ( they omitted, ( Matthew 23:23 ) , their want of compas- John 12:4 John 12:5 ) , and so the Jews were displeased at sion may be observed in the priest and Levite passing the children, and at the disciples in the temple, blessing by the man wounded by thieves, ( Luke 10:30-32 ) . Nor Christ, pronouncing him blessed, and wishing blessings did they show any mercy to Christ, when they smote to him, ( Matthew 21:15 Matthew 21:16 ) ( Luke 19:38 and buffeted him; nor did it move their pity when Pilate Luke 19:39 ) , yea, they delighted not in their own blessbrought him forth with a crown of thorns on his head, edness, or in that which only could give it to them; they and in a miserable condition, saying, “Behold the man”; delighted not in Christ, who was sent to bless them, but but they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him”; and gave despised and rejected him; nor in the Gospel, which is him gall for his meat, and vinegar to drink; and mocked full of blessings; and particularly not in the doctrine of him when in all his miseries and agonies. justification by Christ’s righteousness, which commonly makes a man blessed: yea, in a sense, they judged themBut persecuted the poor and needy man; selves unworthy of everlasting life; and therefore it was Christ, who became poor for our sakes, and stood but a righteous thing that blessing should be far from in need of the ministration of others to him, ( 2 Corin- Judas and the Jews, as it was; even temporal, spiritual, thians 8:9 ) ( Luke 8:3 ) and was poor in spirit, a man of and eternal blessings: yet there have been a sort of heresorrows, and acquainted with griefs; him Judas and the tics F5, that have highly praised and commended Judas, Jews persecuted to death, as follows: as doing a brave and noble action in betraying Christ, whereby the work of salvation was hastened. that he might even slay the broken in heart; Christ, whose heart was broken with the reproach Psalms 109:18 and cruel usage of men, ( Psalms 69:20 ) , whose life the As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his Jews sought to take away, and by means of Judas did. garment, &c.] He was full of it; his mouth was full of cursPsalms 109:17 ing and bitterness; it was visible in him, easy to be disAs he loved cursing, so let it come unto him cerned; he took pride as well as pleasure in it, it was in Judas loved that which brought a curse upon him, his esteem an ornament to him, as his clothes were. The sin; and so he may be said to love the curse; just as sin- Syriac version renders it, “as armour”; as if it was a proners are said to love death, ( Proverbs 8:36 ) . He was tection to him, or he thought it to be so. desirous of and sought after it, to bring Christ to an accursed death; and which he accomplished and pleased So let it come into his bowels like water; himself with; and therefore it was a just retaliation upon the meaning is, let the wrath of God and the curse him that the curse should light on him, and he himself of the law come into his conscience, and make sad work come to a shameful and ignominious death. The Jews there, and fill him with dread and terror, and that in loved the cursing law, the flying roll, called the curse great abundance, and with great force; like a flood of in ( Zechariah 5:2 Zechariah 5:3 ) , which curses every waters that carry all before it; or like the waters of jealtransgressor of it: they boasted of it, rested in it, and ousy which made the belly to swell and the thigh to rot; sought for righteousness by it; and submitted not unto, or the flying roll of the curse, which entering into the but despised, the righteousness of Christ; and therefore house of the sinner destroyed it, and all in it, ( Numbers it was but just they should come under the curse of the 5:22 ) ( Zechariah 5:4 ) . law: they imprecated the curse on them and their chil-
And like oil into his bones;
PSALM 109 51 eminently and superlatively good; which he makes use of as an argument for his deliverance out of all his trouwhich is more piercing and penetrating than water; bles, and from death itself; see ( Psalms 69:14 Psalms and signifies the inward and quick sense he should have 69:16 ) . of his sins, and of the wrath of God for them; see ( Job 20:11 ) . Psalms 109:22 For I am poor and needy Psalms 109:19 Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth As he was in human nature, being born of poor parhim ents, brought up in a mean manner, had not where to Let him be surrounded on all sides with the wrath lay his head, and was ministered to by others; though he of God; and let it be visible to all, as a man’s garment on was Lord of all, and immensely rich in the perfections him is: see ( Isaiah 66:24 ) . of his nature, and in his vast empire and dominion, and the revenues arising from thence; see ( 2 Corinthians And for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually; 8:9 ) . It may here chiefly respect his helpless and forlorn let him be in the utmost straits and distress, being estate as man, at the time of his sufferings and death; see encompassed about with the curse and wrath of God; ( Psalms 40:17 ) . and let that stick close unto him as a man’s belt does; and let him not be able to get clear of it, or extricate And my heart is wounded within me; himself out of it, as no man can on whom it is. with the sins of his people on him, with a sense of divine wrath, and when under divine desertions, espePsalms 109:20 cially when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the death, ( Matthew 26:38 ) ( Psalms 40:12 ) . Lord Who were so many Satans, as the word used signi- Psalms 109:23 fies; and Judas particularly is called a devil; and of the same malevolent and diabolical disposition were the I am gone like the shadow when it declineth Jews in general, ( John 6:70 ) ( 8:44 ) and what is before When the sun is setting, and the shadow is going off; imprecated upon them is the just recompence of reward man’s life is often compared to a shadow, because fleetfor their hatred to Christ and ill usage of him. ing, momentary, and soon gone, ( 1 Chronicles 29:15 ) ( Job 14:2 ) ( Psalms 102:11 ) and death is expressed by And of them that speak evil against my soul; going the way of all flesh; and by going to the grave, the or “life” F6; in order to take it away, as did the false house for all living, a man’s long home, ( Joshua 23:14 ) witnesses that rose up against him, and the Jews who ( Job 30:23 ) and so is the death of Christ, ( Luke 22:22 ) charged him with sedition and blasphemy. , it may be rendered, “I am made to go” F8, denoting the Psalms 109:21 violent death of Christ, who was cut off out of the land of the living, and whose life was taken away from the But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy name’s earth, ( Isaiah 53:8 ) . sake The sense of the petition is, and which is a prayer of I am tossed up and down as the locust; Christ as man, that the Lord God would take his part, or “shaken out” F9 by the wind, as the locust is by be on his side, be present with him, work with him, help the east wind, and carried from place to place, ( Exodus and assist him, and that for his own honour and glory, 10:13 ) , or when a swarm of them by a strong wind are for his truth and faithfulness sake, who had promised crowded together and thrown upon one another; or like him help and assistance, ( Psalms 89:21-23 Psalms 89:34 the grasshopper, which leaps from hedge to hedge, and ). has no certain abode: and such was the case of Christ here on earth; and especially it may have respect not Because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me; only to his being sometimes in Judea and sometimes in or “thy kindness” F7; meaning the lovingkindness Galilee, sometimes in the temple and sometimes in the of God to Christ, which he always bore to him, and was mount of Olives; but to his being tossed about after his
52 PSALM 109 apprehension, when he was led to Annas, and then to Psalms 109:24 Caiaphas, then to Pilate, then to Herod, then delivered My knees are weak through fasting to the soldiers, and by them led to Calvary, and cruci. Either voluntary or forced, through want of food fied. or refreshment; this was verified in Christ, when he kneeled and prayed, and his sweat was as it were great FOOTNOTES: drops of blood falling to the ground; see ( Psalms 69:10 F8 (ytklhn) “cogor abire”, Junius & Tremellius, Pis- ) . cator, Cocceius; “abire factus sum”, Gejerus, Michaelis. And my flesh faileth of fatness; F9 (ytren) “excussus sum”, Montanus, Vatablus Geor “for want of oil” F11; the radical moisture of his jerus, Michaelis; “excutior”, Tigurine version, Musculus, flesh being dried up like a potsherd, ( Psalms 22:15 ) . Cocceius. FOOTNOTES: Psalms 109:23 F11 (Nmvm) (di’ elaion) , Sept. “propter oleum”, V. I am gone like the shadow when it declineth L. “propter defectum olei”, Eth. Arab. When the sun is setting, and the shadow is going off; man’s life is often compared to a shadow, because fleet- Psalms 109:25 ing, momentary, and soon gone, ( 1 Chronicles 29:15 ) I became also a reproach unto them ( Job 14:2 ) ( Psalms 102:11 ) and death is expressed by Or they reproached him; not only in life, traducing going the way of all flesh; and by going to the grave, the his conversation, blaspheming his miracles, calling him house for all living, a man’s long home, ( Joshua 23:14 ) a Samaritan, saying he had a devil, and charging him ( Job 30:23 ) and so is the death of Christ, ( Luke 22:22 ) with sedition; but at the time of his death they reviled , it may be rendered, “I am made to go” F8, denoting the him, and treated him in the most opprobrious manner. violent death of Christ, who was cut off out of the land of the living, and whose life was taken away from the When they looked upon me, they shaked their earth, ( Isaiah 53:8 ) . heads; I am tossed up and down as the locust;
which was verified in the Jews as they passed by the cross of Christ, whither they came to stare upon him or “shaken out” F9 by the wind, as the locust is by and scoff at him, ( Matthew 27:39 ) . the east wind, and carried from place to place, ( Exodus 10:13 ) , or when a swarm of them by a strong wind are Psalms 109:26 crowded together and thrown upon one another; or like Help me, O Lord my God the grasshopper, which leaps from hedge to hedge, and Jehovah the Father is here addressed, who is the has no certain abode: and such was the case of Christ God of Christ, as Christ is man; who formed him, suphere on earth; and especially it may have respect not ported him, and glorified him; and whom Christ loved, only to his being sometimes in Judea and sometimes in believed in, obeyed and prayed unto; nor did he pray Galilee, sometimes in the temple and sometimes in the to a God that could not hear, but to one that was able mount of Olives; but to his being tossed about after his to save him from death: as a divine Person he needed apprehension, when he was led to Annas, and then to no help, being the mighty God, the most Mighty, the Caiaphas, then to Pilate, then to Herod, then delivered Almighty: but as man he did, being encompassed about to the soldiers, and by them led to Calvary, and cruci- with infirmities; and as Mediator help was promised fied. him, he expected it, and he had it, ( Psalms 89:21 ) ( Isaiah 1:7 Isaiah 1:8 ) ( 49:8 ) . FOOTNOTES: F8 (ytklhn) “cogor abire”, Junius & Tremellius, PisO save me according to thy mercy; cator, Cocceius; “abire factus sum”, Gejerus, Michaelis. or “kindness”; as before in ( Psalms 109:21 ) from F9 (ytren) “excussus sum”, Montanus, Vatablus Ge- sufferings, and out of them; from death and the grave, jerus, Michaelis; “excutior”, Tigurine version, Musculus, as he was; or his people by him, who are saved not by Cocceius. works of righteousness, but according to the mercy of God, ( Titus 3:5 ) .
PSALM 109 53 who will then be glad to shelter themselves in rocks and Psalms 109:27 caves. This is imprecated to be done That they may know that this is thy hand Which inflicted vengeance, and executed judgments when they shall arise: on Judas and the Jews, as before imprecated: so the Targum, rise up against Christ to take away his life; rise up against his disciples to persecute them, against his Gos``that they may know that this is thy stroke;’’ pel to contradict and blaspheme it, and against his cause or which was concerned in all the sorrows and suf- and interest to crush it; or against the Romans, to shake ferings of the Messiah, which could never have come off their yoke, when they were brought to great shame upon him had it not been the will of God; it was his and confusion; or when they shall arise at the resurrechand and council that determined it, or men could tion of the dead, which will be to shame and everlasting never have effected it; see ( Acts 4:28 ) ( John 19:11 ) , contempt, ( Daniel 12:2 ) . But let thy servant rejoice; or which wrought deliverance and salvation as before prayed for; see ( Psalms 118:21-23 ) . the Messiah, who appeared in the form of a servant; came not as a temporal lord and prince, to be minisThat thou, Lord, hast done it: tered unto, but as a servant, to minister to others; and one or other, or all the above things; the finger of who is a servant of God’s choosing, calling, and sendGod was to be seen in them; particularly in the suffer- ing, and whom he faithfully served; and who, as prayed ings of Christ, and in his exaltation; see ( Acts 2:23 ) ( for, did rejoice in the strength of the Lord, given him as man; and in the salvation wrought for and by him, 5:31 ) . ( Psalms 21:1 ) , in the work of the Lord prospering in his hand; in his victory over sin, Satan, the world, and Psalms 109:28 death; in the presence of God he was made glad with, Let them curse, but bless thou and in the glory promised him, which he had with his Let them curse me, as Shimei did David, the type Father before the world was, ( Psalms 16:11 ) ( 21:6 ) . of Christ; let them curse themselves, as they did; or my Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame people: or “let them be cursed”, as the Syriac version; cursed in life and at death, and to all eternity: but “bless This is only explanative of what is said before, thou [me]”, the Messiah; as he did, when he raised him front the dead, set him at his right hand, and gave him And let them cover themselves with their own cona name above everyone, and made him most blessed for fusion as with a mantle: evermore; and bless my people with all spiritual blessthe Arabic version is, “as with a breastplate.” Some ings of grace, and with eternal glory and happiness. Or “be thou blessed”; let honour, blessing, and praise, be understand it as a petition of Christ, that they might be continually ascribed to thee; if God does but bless, it is brought to repentance for their sins, and so to shame for no matter if wicked men curse, so Aben Ezra and Kim- them; which is an instance of his wondrous grace and goodness; and it is certain he prayed for the forgiveness chi interpret it; see ( 2 Samuel 16:11 2 Samuel 16:12 ) . of his enemies when on the cross, ( Luke 23:34 ) . When they arise, let them be ashamed; Psalms 109:30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth be suffered to do those things which may bring Vocally, and in the highest strains. shame and disgrace upon them; or let them be disappointed and so confounded, as the Jews were; who Yea, I will praise him among the multitude: though they so far gained their point as to bring Christ of converted persons, both Jews and Gentiles, and to the dust of death and the grave, yet to their great confusion he arose again from the dead; or let them by them: or, “among the mighty” F12; or great ones; the be ashamed at the last day, as they will be when Christ great congregation, as in ( Psalms 22:25 ) among the inshall come in the clouds of heaven and be their Judge, numerable and mighty angels in heaven; or, as the Tar-
54 gum,
PSALM 109
``among the wise men;’’ his own disciples, made wise unto salvation, and to win souls; being filled with the gifts of wisdom and knowledge; among and with whom Christ sung an hymn of praise after the celebration of the supper, ( Matthew 26:30 ) . Psalms 109:31 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor Of the Messiah, as in ( Psalms 109:22 ) at whose right hand the Lord was, to guide and direct, help and assist, protect and defend, ( Psalms 16:8 ) , or of his people, who are poor in every sense; but the Lord is on their side, and is a present help in time of trouble, ( Psalms 46:1 Psalms 46:5 ) . To save him from those that condemn his soul: the Messiah: from his judges, the high priest and Jewish sanhedrim, and Pilate the Roman governor, who condemned him to death; but he committed his spirit, or soul, to God, who received it, and raised his body from the dead; and would not suffer it to see corruption, as a testimony of his innocence: or the soul of the poor saints, which the Lord saves from the condemnation of sin, Satan, the law, and their own consciences, ( Romans 8:1 Romans 8:33 Romans 8:34 ) .