q8 S E R 114 0 N S. upon the Serm. XVL and commendation, and the wicked, their juft reproof from thejudge of the World. z. His Remunerative 7uflice. There is a threefold Jullice in God; his General Jufìice, his Striíl Juftice, his Juftice of Benignity or Fidelity, according to his Gofpel Law. a. His Get/era/Mice requireth that there thould be adiifferent proceeding among them, that differ. among themfelves, that every man fhould reap according to what he bath fown, whether he hath been towing to the Flefh or to the Spirit, that the fruit of his doings, thould be given into his Bofom. And therefore though this be not evident in this life, where good and evil is promifcuoufly difpenfed, becaufe now is the time of Gods patience and our tryal; yet in the life to come, when God will ,Mudge the World in Righ- teoufnefs, Afls 17. 31. it is necefïary that it thould go well with the good, and ill with the -bad. And as the Apoftle faith, zThef. r.. 6, 7, It it a Righteous thing with God,torecom- penfe Tr;bulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled refs with us, when the Lord 7efus( hall be revealed from Heaven with bismighty Angels. There is generalis ratio jufli, in the difference of the recompenfes. And therefore the different actions of the perfotís to be judged, muft come into the difcuffion, whether good or evil. idly. `There is Godsflrittl 3fl'ice declared in the Covenant of works, whereby he rewardeth Man according to his perfe b obedience, or elfe punitheth him for his failings and corn- ing fhort. This alfo is in part to be declared at the day of Judgment, on the wicked at leaf}, for the Apoftle dectareth that there will be a different proceeding with men, according to the divers Covenants which they are under ; fome !hail be judged by the Law of liberty, according to which God will accept their fmcere though impeded, obedience. Others (hall have Judgment, without any temperament of mercy, Yam. z. I; 13, And juftly, becaufe they never changed Copy and tenure. Wheel- God made man he gave him a Law, fuitable to that perfection and innocency wherein he made him. Our Faét did not make void his right, to require the obedience due by that Law. Nor our obligation to perform it, but yet becaufe man was uncapable of performing this Law, or obtaining Righteoufnefsby it. Having once broken it, he was pleafed to calk out a plank to us after fhipwrack, to offer us the remedy of a newLaw of grace, where- in he required of us ; repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord 7eficc Chrifl, Aíls zo, z r. That we thould return to our duty to our Creator, depending upòn the merit, Satisfa&ion, and Power of the Mediator. Now we areall (inners, and have deferved death according to the Law ofNature; and wo and wrath an hundred times over,and ifthrough our impenitency and unbelief, we will not accept of Gods remedy, we are jufly left to the old Covenant, under which we were born, and fo undergo Judgment without mercy. idly. There is his jufliceo f bounty, and free beneficence, as judging according to his Gofpel Law, which accepteth of fincereobedience, and fo God is juft, when he re- wardeth a man capable of reward, upon terms of Grace. So 'Cis faid, Pleb. 6. t o. God is not unrighteous to forgetyour work of Faith, and labour of love which ye have (hewed to his name. His promifes take notice of works, and the fruits of Faith and Love, as one part of our Qualification, which make us capable ofthe bleflings promifed. 3. His veracity and faithfulnefs. God hath promifed Life and Glory to the penitent,. and obedient, and the faithful : And God will make good his promifes, and reward all the labours and patience, and faithfulnefs of his Servants, according to his promifes to them. To whom bath he promifed Salvation t To the obedient, to the patient, to the pure in heart, to the diligent and ftudious, every wherein the Word of God, gobs r a. z6. There than my Servant be, Jam. r. rz. And Rom. z. 6, 7. He will render to every one accord- ing to his deeds': To them,who by patient continuance in well - doing, feek for Glory, Honour, Immortality, Eternal Life. On the contrary he bath interminated and threatned, verfs 8,'g. To them that are contentious, and obey not the truth, who wrangle and difpute away dúty. See promifes mixed with threatnings, to the carnal and the mortified, Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flefh ye fhalldie, but if ye through the Spirit do Mortifie the deeds of the Body,. ye (ball live. And Gal. 6.8. If ye fow to the fefh, of the jlefh ye(hall reap corrup- tion, but if ye few to the Spirit, ye (hall reap Lité Everlafling Now that Gods truth may fully appear, mens works muff be brought intothe tryal. 4. Hisfree grace. The bufinefs of that day, is not only to glorifie his Juftice, but to glorify his free Love and Mercy, r Pet. 1.13. Hope unto the end, for the grace that is to be brought toyou, at the Revelation of our Lord Mefus Chrifl.. And this grace is no way infringed; but the rather exalted, when what we have done in the Body, whether it be good or evil, is brought into the Judgment. a. The evil works of the faithful thew that every one is worthy of death for finning, though we donut die and perifh everlaftingly for it as others do, Gods belt Saints have need
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=