Ver.25. the 17th Chapter of St. J O H N 369 John 4. 22. Certainly we are not fo fenfible of the danger of Ignorance as,we fhould be. Men live fenfually, and die fottifhly, and then perifh eternally ; they live by guets at belt, and fome devout Aims ; And when they come to die, they die by guef, in a doubtful uncertain way ; like Men that leap over a deep Gulph blindfold, they know not where their Feet (hall light. 2. Obferve ; That God is not only merciful, but juff, in the retard of'the Godly, or glori- fying the Elea. Chrift is praying and arguing for Heavenly Glory, And he giveth God the Title of Righteous Father. You (hall fee all your Privileges are made to come front Righteoufnefs. Pardon of Sins, which is one of the freelt A&s of God, and wherein he difcovereth molt of his Mercy. 1 John 1.9. If we confefi our Sins, he is faithful and jug to forgive so our Sins, and cleanfe xs froth dl Vnrighteoufnefi. This is the My- fiery of Divine Grace. So an for Eternal Rewards : 2 Theft 1. b, 7. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompenfe Tribulation to them that tremble yam. You will think that it righteous indeed that God fhould punifh the Wicked ; but read on, bast to yon' who are troubled, refi with us, when the Lord Jefui (hall be revealed, &c. But how is God's Righteoufnefs and lattice interefied in our Rewards ? t. Partly it is engaged by Chrill's Merit. Tho to us it be mere Grace, yet as to Chrill it is jolt, Chtilts Satisfa &ion being equivalent to the violation of God's Maje- fty, and tlefore it is juft to pardon us. ft is juft for the Creditor to forgive the Deb- tor, when the Surety hath paid. So Chrift's Blood, it is not only xvfe s a Ranfom, but ävróMay zn a Price. It is jolt with God to glorify us ; Chrift's Righteoufnefs giveth us a Right. This Reafon you have, ?om. 3. 24, 25, 26. Being jrfed freely by his Grace, through the 'Redemption that is in Jefru Chr Jl: whom God hath fit forth to be a Propitiation, through Faith in his Blood, to declare his Righteoufnefs for the remiffón of Sins that are paff, through the forbearance of God. To declare, I fay, at this time his Vghteoufnefs ; that he may be jolt, and the yrrfiifier of him that believeth in Jefui. God being fatisfied by Chrift, can be gracious to the Creature without difparagement to his Juftice : The Mediator interpofeth, his Satisfa&ion is accepted. This was that the wife Men of all Times bufied themfelves in, How God could do good to the Creature, without difparagement to his Juftice. But all their Devices were fruftrate, Chrift alone bringeth the Blood to the Mercy-Seat. 2. God is fall bound by his own Promife. James t. It. Bleed is the Man that en. dureth Temptation ; for when be is tried, he fhall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord bath promifed to them that love him; And it is a part of Juftice to make good his Word. Promittendo fe facit debitorem ; The Qualification being fuppofed, we may challenge him upon it. Pfal. 119. 49. ? ernember thy Word lento thy Servant, upon which thou hall exiled inc to hope. He biddeth us put him in remembrance; he hath drawn us to there Hopes. 2 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteoufnefs, which the Lord the Righteous Judg fhall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them alfo that love his appearing. Upon which Bernard noteth, Paulus expeetat Coronate jxlli_ fed juffitia Dei, non fua : juflum off ut reddat quad debet, debet eutem quodpollicitus eß. It is jolt with God to pay what he oweth, and he oweth what he promifed. There- fore Chryfoffom faith it was sgavós iNtxs û, hxuiooíves. We may fay to God, redde quad prom ffli, tho not redde quad debes. 3. By pofitive Ordinance, that every Man (hall receive according to the kind of his Work; the Wicked, according to their wicked A &ions; and the Good, according to their good A &ions. Mat. 16.27. Then he (hall reward every Man according to his Works. Now left any fhould think it is meant of wicked Men only,the Apoftle tells 1.1%2 Cor.S.io. Every one fball receive the things done in his Body, according to that he bath done, whether it be good or bad. God is not arbitrary in his Judgment, it is the Rule of Procefs. Alt !Hall be rewarded in the general quoad genus, according to the kind of their Works ; Wicked Men, quoad meritum, becaufe Eternal Punifhment is due to Evil Works, out of the Nature of the Works; but for the Godly, the kind of their Works is judged, but not in rigorous Juftice, they (hall not be weighed in the Ballance, then all would be found wanting, but brought to the Touch -ftone. Ya laudabili vita hominum, fi (ren:ctâ mifcrecordiâ) difcutias eam, faith Greggty. And the Apoftle, James a. 12. So fpeak ye; and fo do, as they that fhall be judged by the Law of Liberty. Aaaaa vf
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