648 The ;fufizce ofGod in the Difiribution Vol. I. doubt of it, fer. t z. r. Righteous art thou, 0 Lord, when Iplead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy yudgments, wherefore cloth the wayof the Wicked profiler ? The Prophet, notwithflanding he faw the profperous Condition of Wicked Men, and the affliéted State of the Godly, which feemed hard to be reconciled with the yuflice of God's Providence, yet before he would fo much as reafon about it, he lays down this as a certain conclufion, Righteous art thou, 0 Lord! To this Head likewife belong all thofe Texts which fpeak of Righteoufnefs, as God's dwelling Place and his Throne, of his Delight in juftice, and of the Duration and Eternity of it, which J need not particularly recite. z. There are likewife other Texts, which remove the contrary, viz. injuflice and unrighteoufnefs at the greateft diftance fromGod, as being molt contrary to his Nature and Perfe&ion. Deut. 3 z. 4. A God of truth, and without iniquity. z Chron. t9. 7. There is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor acceptingofPerfons, nor taking of Gifts. Job 8. 3. Doth God pervert Judgment ? or doth the Almighty pervert fufiice ? which is avehement negation of the Thing. Job 34. to, It, [z. Far be it from God, that he fhould do wickednefs, and from the Almighty, that he fhould commit iniquity. For the work of a Man !hall he render unto him, andcaufe .every Man to find according to his ways. Tea furely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert Judgment. Rom. 9. 14. What (hall we fay then ? isthere unrighteoufnefs with God ? God forbid. Secondly, There are other Texts which fpeak more particularly of the lit/lice 'and Righteoufnefs of God in the di(lribution of Rewards and Punifhments. 'Tis true indeed, the 7uflice of God doth not conftantly appear in this World in the difpen- fations of his Providence, becaufe this is a time of Patience and Forbearance to Sinners, and of tryal and exercife to good Men ; but there is a Day a coming, when all things shall be fet ftraight, and every Man fhall receive the juft reward of his Deeds, when the yuftice of God (hall be evident to all the World, and eve- ry Eye {hall fee it, and {hall acknowledge the Righteous Judgmentof God ; and this the Scripture molt clearly and exprefly declares unto us ; and hence it is, that the Day of Judgment is call'd theDay of the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God. The Righteoufnefs of God Both not now fo clearly appear, but thatthere are many Clouds overit, but there fhall be a Day of Revelation, when the Righte- oufnefs of God (hall be made manifeft to all the World. The remunerative luflice of God {hall then appear in the rewarditig the Righ- teous ; and the punitive juftice of God in punifhing the Wicked and Ungodly, fo that a Man (hall fay, verily there is a reward for the Righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth the World. Now the Righteoufnefs of this vengeance of God, which God will take upon Sinners, is further fet forth to us in Scripture, from the Equity and Impartiality of it. I. From the Equity of it. s. In that the Sins of Men have jufily deferved the Punifhment, that (hall come upon them, Rom. 1.3z. Who knoweth the judgment of God, óì d,nytx re" Bets, the righteous judgment ofGod, that they which commit fuch things, are worthy of Death. z. In that the Judgment of God (hall be proportioned to the Degree andHei- noufnefs of Mens Sins, fo as the Lefler or greater Sins Ihall be punifh'd with more or lefa Severity. So our Saviour threatens to thole who continue impenitent under the Gofpel and the advantages of it,' their cafe (hall be more fad than that of Tyre and Sidon, and it fhall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah at the Day of Judgment, than for them. Mat. r r. zo, 2.1. and Luke la. 47, 48. There you have different Degrees of Punifhment threatned, proportionable to the Ag- gravations of the Sins which Men have committed ; The Servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himfelf, neither did according to his will, (hall be beaten with many !tripes : but he that knew it not, but didcommit things worthy offiripee tall be beaten with few (tripes ; and fo proportionably of all other Aggravations of Sins, for to whom much is given, of him fhall much be required, and unto whom Men have committedmuch, of him they will ask the more. So likewife God will vindicate
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