Seuen goulden candlestickes houlding the seauen greatest lights of Christian religion shewing vnto all men what they should beleeue, & how they ought to walke in this life, that they may attayne vnto eternall life. By Gr: Williams Doctor of Divinity

CHAP. XI. Of the Iustice of God, how iust is God in all his workes, and especially in the not absoluing or cleering of wicked vnre∣pentant sinners.

* 1.1WE haue seene come small sparkes of Gods boundlesse incomprehensible goodnesse, wee are now to consider the last part of his discription, i. e. his Iustice, and se∣ueritie against sinne and sinners; an act neuer vsed vntill we abuse his good∣nesse; and therefore left last to bee ex∣pressed; to see if by the first, we will bee reclaymed: if not, God will not bee vanquished; but not holding the wicked innocent, hee will visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the Children, and vpon the childrens children, vnto the third and fourth generation.

It is obserued by diuines, that God sheweth himselfe to worke and to doe things in many respects, especially,

• 1. As the absolute Lord, and owner of all things.
• 2. As the God or maker and preser∣uer of all things.
• 3. As the Father, and Husband, of his Church.
• 4. As the Iudge, and Iust rewarder of all men.

And in all these wayes,* 1.2 God is sayd to be iust & righ∣teous: but his Iustice, in all these manner of wor∣king, is not the same: for,

First, As the absolute Lord of all things, whereby hee chooseth or reiecteth, giueth or denieth his grace, to whom het will; the Iustice of God herein, is the Will of God, as our Sauiour sheweth, saying; May not I doe what I will with mine owne?* 1.3 or as the A∣postle sayth, Hath not the potter power ouer the clay, of the same lumpe to make one vessell vnto honour, and another vnto dishonor:* 1.4 And in all these things there is no iniquitie with God: but he is righ∣teous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works; & his Will is the rule of iustice: and must needs be iust, because he hath, ius absolutum, a most absolute right ouer all things:* 1.5 and therefore all those acts must needs be iust, which are done by him, which is iustice it selfe, and that pure fountaine, from whence all springs of iustice doe proceede: for it is a sure rule, that God cannot bee sayd properly to doe things, because they are iust, but that those things are iust, because hee doth them: therefore Abraham thought it a iust thing to sacrifice his sonne, because it was Gods Will to require it: so that in this respect, the Will of God is the Iustice of God.

Secondly, As the God of all things; that is, the Creator,* 1.6 Preseruer, and guider of all things; the goodnesse of God is sayd to be the Iustice of God.

Thirdly, As he is the Husband of his Church,* 1.7 and the Father of his Elect; the mercie of God, in giuing Christ, and the obe∣dience of Christ in satisfying the Law for vs, is sayd to bee the Iustice of God.

Fourthly, As a Iust-Iudge; the Iustice of God is, the distribu∣ting of reward vnto euery man, according to his iust desart; and so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Iustitia, is quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bipartitio; a parting to euery one his owne due deserued portion; and it is called iustia di∣stributiua

a distributiue iustice. And this is that which is meant in this place when hee sayth, that by no meanes hee will make the wicked innocent, but will visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children and it is here set downe, two speciall wayes.

• * 1.81. Negatiuely, by the negation of absolution vnto the wic∣ked, not making the wicked innocent.
• 2. Positiuely, by the expression of the greatnesse of the pu∣nishment which shall be inflicted vpon them, but visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children.

For the first, he saith that absoluing hee will not absolue the wic∣ked; and alas, We are all gone astray,* 1.9 wee are all become wicked, and there is none of vs that doth good, no not one: and therefore what shall we doe, if God will not doe this fatherly fauour, to ab∣solue vs?

Nay, he sayd euen now, that he would doe it; that he would forgiue iniquitie and transgression and sinne: and therefore now with the same breath to say, he will by no meanes cleere the wicked, seemeth strange.* 1.10 I answere, that for the cleering of this point alij atque alij aliud atque aliud opinati sunt, (as Saint Augustine sayth in another case) diuers men haue made diuers answeres.

Some say that sinnes must be distinguished; as, into sinnes of humane infirmitie, and simple ignorance; as when we doe the things we would not doe, or many times wee doe the things wee know not to bee euill: and these sinnes God is alwayes ready to forgiue: because he remembreth that we are but dust, and cannot doe the things wee would doe: or into sinnes of wilfull igno∣rance, when men will not vnderstand, that they may doe well; but doe make a couenant with death,* 1.11 and an agreement with hell it selfe,* 1.12 and doe say vnto God, depart from vs, for we will not haue the knowledge of thy wayes: and into sinnes of obstinate malice, from whence proceede, those horrid and horrible fearefull sinnes, that doe exceedingly prouoke the wrath of God: as

* 1.13First, Idolatrie, which is either the worshiping of the true God, with false worship, or the giuing of the true-worship, onely due to the true God vnto the creature, whether visible or inuisi∣ble, whether inwardly conceited in our mindes, or outwardly exposed to our senses; for so the Apostle saith, that because the Gentiles knowing God, glorified him not as God, but changed his glory

into the Image of birds, beasts and creeping things;* 1.14 therefore the wrath of God, was reueiled from Heauen, against their vngodlinessse,* 1.15 and he gaue them vp to vile affections,* 1.16 to doe those things which were not conuenient: for this sinne of Idolatry, is so offensiue vnto God, that it is tearmed a seruice of the Diuell: and therefore ab∣hominable, and accursed by God, and most dangerous vnto Man.

Secondly, a perfidious tempting of God,* 1.17 as whether hee be with vs, or whether he can or will doe what he promised for vs: for so the Psalmist saith, that the Israelites tempted God in their hearts, and spake against him saying; Shall God prepare a table in the Wildernesse? He smote the stony Rocke, so that the water gushed out, and the streames flowed withall; but can he giue bread also, or prouide for his people? and therefore the Lord was so wroth: that the fire was kindled in Iacob, and there came vp heauy displea∣sure against Israel; because they beleeued not in God, and put not their trust in his helpe: for God is so able and so willing to helpe his owne seruants, that none can doubt thereof, without hor∣rible in••ignity offered him; And therefore we should euer relye upon him, and neuer doubt of this infinite goodnesse of God.

Thirdly, a murmuring against God,* 1.18 and complaining secretly as it were in our hearts, that he doth either presse vs sore with heauy yoakes and punishments; or that he dealeth not so gent∣ly and so louingly with vs, as he doth with others: for thus Caine murmured against God, that he accepted the oblation of Abell better then his; and thus the Apostle saith,* 1.19 the children of Israel murmured against God, that he had dealt hardly with them, in bringing them out of Egypt to suffer hunger and thirst in the wildernesse; and therefore they were destroyed of the destroyer: and therefore we should beware of murmuring, which is nothing worth, and take heed of this muttering against God; for there is no thought so secret, that it shall goe for naught,* 1.20 but we should with Iob in all estates put our trust in him, though he kils vs know∣ing that he worketh all things for the best for them that loue him.

Fourthly, an obstinate contumatious rebelling against God,* 1.21 as when we refuse to heare his word, & wil not be obedient vnto his lawes; but will say with the Iewes, Let vs breake his bonds asunder

and cast away his cords from vs:* 1.22 for against these the Psalmist saith; He that dwelleth in Heauen shall laugh them to scorne, the Lord shall haue them in derision; and then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath, and vexe them his sore displeasure: And therefore we should take heed of rebelling, and refusing to heare and to obey the Word of God, least the wrath of God should be suddenly kindled against vs, and consume vs.

* 1.23Fiftly, Blasphemy against God, and the slandering of the Truth of his Doctrine, especially when we oppose it fully, though wee know it to be Truth most certainely; as the spies that were sent to view the Land of Canaan did; and therefore dyed by the plague, before the Lord: for this is a sinne, of a malicious wicked∣nesse, and a branch of that vnpardonable sinne against the Holy Ghost; and therefore we should euer take heed to oppose the Truth against our consciences.

* 1.24Sixtly, Disobedience, and dishonoring of our Parents; for so the Lord saith, Cursed be he that despiseth his Father & his Mother, and let all the people say, Amen. And therefore we finde heauy iudgements inflicted vpon Cham; Absalon, and all other like children of disobedience; and the Lord requiring, that vpon the bare testimony of the Parents, saying, This our child is disobedient, and will not be ruled by vs; they should carry him out of the Ci∣tie, and stone him with stones till he dyed.

* 1.25Seauenthly, The shedding of Innocent bloud, especially of those that are the sonnes of God; for the voyce of blood, as may be seen in Abell, is such a shril, piercing, vndeniable voyce, that it will spee∣dily ascend to Heauen and neuer depart, vntill vengeance bee powred out vpon the sinners.

* 1.26Eightly, The oppressing of the poore, the fatherlesse and the Widdowes: for if you hurt the Poore, and they cry vnto me, (saith the Lord) Et indignabitur furor meus, I will surely heare their cry, and my wrath shall waxe hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your Wiues shall be Widdowes, and your children fatherlesse.

* 1.27Ninthly, Vnbridled wandring lusts, such as were the lusts of the Citizens of Sodome, and of all those that giue themselues, to doe adulteries, whoredomes, and following after strange flesh: for the Lord hateth all such lasciuious liuers; and therefore de∣stroyed of them three and twenty thousand in one day,* 1.28 and

wrought a most grieuous slaughter vpon the whole tribe of Beniamin,* 1.29 for that one foule abuse offered vnto the Leuite•• Wife.

Tenthly, Sacriledge and prophaning of holy things; for this is a robbing of God, (as the Prophet sheweth;* 1.30) and such a high transcendent sinne, as that I could farre easier fill whole volumes of most fearefull examples of Gods vengeance, executed against sacrilegious persons, then finde you one man, either in Diuine or humane stories, that wronged and robbed the Church of God, and scapt vnpunished, both in himselfe and his posterity, vn∣to the third and fourth generation.

Eleuenthly,* 1.31 Continuall swearing and prophaning of the blessed Name of God; for of all the sinnes forbidden in the Com∣mandements, this onely, with Idolatry, is forbidden with sub pae∣na, with a curse, yea a grieuous curse denounced against vs, if we will not shunne it: for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse, that taketh his Name in vaine.

These and such like lewde and wicked sinners, they say, God absoluing will not absolue; because the doers hereof, haue no loue of goodnesse, no care of godlinesse, no sence of sinne, no remorse of conscience; and therefore is the Wrath of God so exceeding∣ly kindled against these sinners, sinners 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, these grieuous, huge, and horrible sinners, that he will neuer forgiue them, with∣out exceeding great repentance.

Indeed I confesse, that such grieuous sinners are in a grieuous case; and that it is not likely, God would haue vsed such feare∣full threatnings, but against haynous sinners; yet I told you be∣fore, that no sinne was so great, but the Mercy of God is greater, and able to forgiue, if they be able to repent. And therefore,

Others say, that the former clause, forgiuing iniquity and trans∣gression, and sinne; is to be vnderstood of the sinnes of Gods E∣lect, be they great, or be they small, he forgiues them all; and this latter clause, not making the wicked innocent, to be vnderstood of the sinnes of the Reprobate, of what quality soeuer they be: for, he will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy,* 1.32 and whom hee will he hardneth, &c.

And I yeeld this to be true in it selfe; but, because God onely

knoweth absolutely,* 1.33 Ex priori, from the causes, infallibly, who are his; and we know it onely, Ex posteriori, by the effects of Gods fauour: and the fruits of his Spirit; if we would be assu∣red of the remission of our sinnes, and would more certainely know how both these sentences may be reconciled; I say briefly, that the first sentence, is to be vnderstood, of the penitent and amending sinners, of what quality soeuer their sinnes haue beene; and the latter clause of continuall vnrepentant trans∣gressors: for, God will pardon any sinne if you be sorry for it, and forsake it; but no sinne if you continue in it. For God shall wound the head of his enemies,* 1.34 and the hayrie scalpe of such a one as goeth on still in his wickednesse, saith the Prophet. And therefore if any of vs haue sinned, yet let vs not continue in sinne; for mercy and wrath come from God, and if we continually sinne in the time of grace, we shall suddenly be destroyed in the day of ven∣geance; Quia non delinquenti sed peccata relinquenti misericors De∣us est, Because God will not be mercifull vnto them that offend of malicious wickednesse,* 1.35 and doe still goe on in sinne, that grace may abound, whose damnation is iust, as the Apostle speaketh.

But thou wilt say, thou hopest God will giue thee grace to repent, and thou meanest to leaue thy sinnes, before thou beest compelled to leaue the world: It is true (beloued) that our sinnes shall be pardoned, whensoeu••r we repent: but we cannot repent,* 1.36 whensoeuer we will; because repentance is the gift of God; and we haue not God at our command; but as a Fa∣ther truely saith? Qui dat paenitenti veniam, non semper dat pec∣canti paenitentiam; God which alwayes pardoneth the repen∣tant sinner, doth not alwayes giue repentance vnto sinners; but as they neglected him,* 1.37 so he reiecteth them, and suffereth them to heape vnto themselues wrath, against the day of wrath.

And therefore, though God be slow to anger, and suffereth long: yet he is full of Iustice and will not suffer euer; but at last the fire of his fury will be kindled, and then, Furor arma ministrat, His wrath will quickly afford him weapons: and as Lactantius saith, Tarditatem irae grauitate supplicij compensabit, He will requite the slownesse of his wrath, with the seueritie of his vengeance; for as the old distich saith,

Ad veniam tardus Deus est,* 1.38 ad praemia velox Sed pensare solet, vt grauiore moram.

God vseth to come to punish on leaden feet, but he payeth home with iron hands: he will reach them farre, and hee will smite them full. And therefore, To day if yee will heare his voyce,* 1.39 harden not your hearts, and deferre not your amendment till to morrow; for, Qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit; If thou wilt not doe it to day, it will be farre harder for thee to doe it to morrow; and if thou wilt not doe it at all, thou art in a most feareful case; for, God absoluing will neuer absolue thee, that is, he will neuer forgiue thy sins, because thou wilt not forsake thy sinnes. And so much for the denyall of pardon and absolution vnto the wicked.

Notes

• * 1.1

  3. Attribute, i e. Gods Iustice.
• * 1.2

  Zanchius de iustitia dei. l. 4 c. 5. q. 2. p. 398.
• * 1.3

  Matth 20.25.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 9.21.
• * 1.5

  Whatsoeuer God doth is iust, and all things that are iust, are iust because hee doth them.
• * 1.6

  Esay 46.4.
• * 1.7

  1 Tim. 4.10.
• * 1.8

  Gods distribu∣tiue Iustice is here expres∣sed two wayes.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 14.2.4.
• * 1.10

  Aug. de ciuitate dei. l. 8. c. 3.
• * 1.11

  Esay 28.15.
• * 1.12

  Job 2••.14.
• * 1.13

  That idolatrie is a most hor∣rible sinne.
• * 1.14

  Rom. 1.18.24.
• * 1.15

  Deut. 32.17.
• * 1.16

  Deut. 7.26.
• * 1.17

  The doubt∣ing of Gods goodnesse to∣wards vs, is a most horrible wickednesse. Psal. 78. &c. 1 Cor. 10.9.
• * 1.18

  To murmure, or to be dis∣contented with God, a heauie sinne. Gen. 4.5.
• * 1.19

  1 Cor. 10.10.
• * 1.20

  Wisd. 1.11. Iob 13.15. Rom. 8.28.
• * 1.21

  To refuse to obay God, a fearefull sinne.
• * 1.22

  Psal. 2.3.4.5.
• * 1.23

  To oppose the knowne truth, a most horrible sinne. Num. 14.37.
• * 1.24

  Deut. 27. Disobedience to Parents a most feare∣full sinne.
• * 1.25

  Gen. 4.10. The shedding of mans blood, a most hay∣nous sinne.
• * 1.26

  Oppressing the poore a fearefull sinne.
• * 1.27

  Vntamed lusts, a most odious sinne.
• * 1.28

  1 Cor. 10.8.
• * 1.29

  Judg. 19.25.
• * 1.30

  Mal. 3.8. Sacriledge a fearefull sinne.
• * 1.31

  Continuall swearing a most dange∣rous sinne.
• * 1.32

  Exod. 33.19.
• * 1.33

  How both sen∣tences are re∣conciled.
• * 1.34

  Psal. 68.21.
• * 1.35

  Rom 3.8.
• * 1.36

  That men can∣not repent when they will.
• * 1.37

  Rom. 2.5.
• * 1.38

  Serior esse solet vindicta Jeue∣rior.
• * 1.39

  Psal. 95.8.