0A.12. Chapter II.

Chapter II. God Will Righteously Judge the World by Jesus Christ. The righteousness of God’s judicial proceedings will appear by considering the equity of the law, the rule of judgment. The law of nature considered in its precepts and penalties. The precepts are such as befit the Creator to give, and the reasonable creature to receive. An answer to the objection, that the law being pure and perfect, and man in a frail state, it seems hard to require perfect obedience from him, and condemn him for failings. The law of faith considered. Our innocence being lost, repentance is allowed.

Sincere obedience is accepted, where perfection is lacking.

Sincere faith in the Redeemer is the condition of oar justification and glorification. The not complying with the gospel-terms of salvation, proceeds from the perverse wills of men.

I will now proceed to illustrate and prove the main point, which is this: That God will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ. The Mediator, who shall be Judge in the union of both natures, considered as the Son of God, is essentially holy and righteous; and considered as the Son of Man, was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." In him all virtues shined in their absolute purity; and who is so worthy and qualified to reward holiness and punish wickedness as "the holy One of God?" It is said of him, "You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore your God has anointed you with oil of gladness above your fellows," Heb 1:9. God has consecrated Jesus to the regal office, and enriched his human nature with endowments suitable to it. It was prophesied of him, "The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth." Isa 11:2-4

Human judgments are often unrighteous, from wicked partiality which perverts justice; or fair appearances that deceive the understanding; by gifts or deceit, innocence is cast down, and guilt is acquitted. But the Judge of the world is inflexible to partiality, and all things "are entirely open to his sight." In the act of judgment he is represented "sitting on a white throne" Rev 20:11, the emblem of unspotted holiness. The righteousness of God’s judicial proceedings will appear, by considering three things.

I. The equity of his law, the rule of the great and final judgment.

II. The evidence of the facts and matter, which shall be produced as the reason of judgment.

III. The impartiality of the sentence.

I. The equity of the law which shall be the rule of the last judgment. This will appear by considering the law of nature, and the law of faith, in their precepts and in the penalties annexed to enforce the observation of them. The law of nature, which is the rule of man’s duty, will be the rule of judgment; for "without the law there is no transgression;" and consequently a person is unaccountable for his actions. This law is composed of such rules as are most befitting the wise and gracious Creator to give, and the reasonable creature to receive and obey; for they entirely agree and center in his glory, and the good of his subjects. The apostle adorns the law with the most excellent elegy, "it is holy, just, and good." Rom 7:12. The law is HOLY, as it enjoins all acts of piety to God. The law enjoins the adoration of his majesty resulting from his inexpressible divine perfections: the imitation of his purity, a reliance on his goodness, a resignation to his most wise providence, and a dutiful obedience to his will.

Such a sense of our dependence and subjection to God, is the proper character of the reasonable creature, as dignified above inanimate and irrational beings. The law is JUST, as it directs us how to conduct ourselves in our various relations. Justice is the cement of societies, without which they disband and fall into confusion. And the sum of the law is virtually comprised in one rule, "To do unto others as we would they should do unto us," than which nothing is more equal. The law is GOOD to man who keeps it, commanding nothing but what is influential upon his well-being here and forever. It does not infringe his true freedom, but allows him unstained delights, and enjoins what is proper to advance and secure his dignity, felicity and perfection. It forbids everything that defiles and debases him, and causes a degeneration from his native excellency. Even if we remand in our thoughts the sacred authority of the Lawgiver, all the precepts of the law for their moral goodness deserve our esteem and choice, and entire observation. The sanctified mind approves them universally. "I esteem all your precepts concerning all things to be right," says holy David, Psa 119:128. Nay, in the wicked there is an intellectual assent to the goodness of the law, though the corrupt will does not embrace it; there are some inclinations and wishes to obey it, but controlled by vicious desires. It is said of the convinced sinner, "You know his will, and approve the things that are more excellent." Rom 2:18

It may be objected, that the law being pure, and man in a fallen state, surrounded with innumerable temptations—to require perfect obedience from him, and condemn him for his failings, seems hard. The law lays a restraint upon all the senses, and forbids all fleshly lusts; this may be easy for sinless souls, but for men to live in the body, as if they were out of it, to be always vigilant against the insinuations or attacks of sin, is simply impossible. Thus the carnal mind is apt to traduce the righteousness of God’s government. But it will be clearly vindicated, by considering:

(1.) The law supposes man in a state of integrity, furnished with sufficient power to comply with every precept, though free to fall from his duty and happiness. To command absolute impossibilities, is tyrannical, and utterly inconsistent with the nature of the blessed God.

(2.) The first man willfully transgressed the law, and lost his holiness; and nature being poisoned in the fountain, is corrupt in all the descendants from him. Mankind was justly degraded in rebellious Adam, and is destitute of spiritual strength to perform all that the law requires.

(3.) This disability is vicious and culpable, and can be no pretense against the rights of the Lawgiver. A natural disability from the lack of requisite faculties is a just excuse. It is no fault that a man cannot stop the sun, as Joshua did; nor calm a tempest, as our Savior did by his word. But the disability that arises from a depraved disposition, renders a person more guilty. And this is the present case. The will of man is disobedient and perverse, and as soon as it can exercise its will, chooses evil; and by custom in sin becomes more hardened and obstinate. And from hence the prophet charges the contumacious Jews, "Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken." Jer 6:10. Were they incapable of hearing the divine commands? No, "but the word of the Lord was so them a reproach, they had no delight in it." And our Savior upbraids the pharisees, "How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and seek not the honor that comes from God alone?" John 5:44. They were in high reputation for their holiness, which made it impossible for them in a humble penitent manner to submit to our Savior. In short, the primary end of the law was the happiness of man in the performance of his duty; and his first sin, and consequent impotence to fulfill the law, was by his own fault. As the obliquity of a line cannot be ascribed to the straight rule, but to the error of the hand that draws it. And from hence it is clear, that if God should with a terrible exactness require of men perfect obedience upon the pain of damnation, he could not be taxed with unrighteousness.

2. But God has been pleased to mitigate and allay the severity of the law by the gospel; so that although the least breach of it makes a person an offender and liable to judgment—yet the law of faith propounds such merciful conditions to the guilty, that upon the performance of them, they may plead their pardon sealed with the blood of their Redeemer, and shall be saved and crowned in the day of judgment. We are commanded "so to speak and do, as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty." Jas 2:12. Thus the gospel is styled, in that it frees the conscience, though not from the obedience of the law—yet from the terrors and condemnation of the law; for there was not the least signification of mercy in the law. But in the gospel, "the grace of God most illustriously appears.

(1.) In that when our innocence was lost, there may be a renovation of the sinner by repentance, to which the full pardon of sin is assured, "Wash, be clean, put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, and learn to do well, says the Lord; and though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be white like wool." Isa 1:16-18. God will not pardon those who forgive and flatter themselves in their sins, "but those who confess and forsake them shall find mercy."

(2.) For the Christian, sincerity of obedience is accepted where perfection is lacking. When a person with consent of heart and serious endeavors strives to obey the holy will of God, without the exception of any known duty, or the indulgence of any sin, "God will spare him, as a father spares his son who serves him." Mal 3:17. It is not so much the matter of sinning, as the willful allowance of sinning that makes sin deadly. Where there is willful deceit in the heart, it will be severely imputed. It is not according to some particular acts of sin, but the tenor of the life, that the state of men will be decided.

(3.) Sincere faith in the Lord Jesus, that is such a belief of the truth and goodness of his promises, as induces us "to receive him as our Prince and Savior," as purifies the conscience, the heart and life—will free us from Hell, and entitle us to Heaven, according to the covenant of grace. In short, the final resolution of a man’s trial and case will be this; either he has performed the gracious conditions of the gospel, and he shall "be saved;" or rejected them, and he shall "be damned."

If it be objected, that the terms of evangelical justification, though in themselves comparatively easy—yet are of impossible performance to men in their natural sinful state. The answer is clear: That although the "natural man is dead in sin," without spiritual strength to resolve and perform his duty, nor holy desires to it; and nothing is alive in him but his corrupt passions, which are like worms generated in a carcass; yet by the grace that is offered in the gospel, he may be enabled to perform the conditions of it; for in this the gospel excels the law, the law reveals sin, but affords no degrees of supernatural power to subdue it, and directs to no means for the expiation of its guilt. As "the fire in the bush" revealed the thorns without consuming them. But the sanctifying Spirit, the true spring of "life and power," 2Ti 1:7, is the concomitant of the gospel, as Peter declares, "With the preaching of the gospel the Holy Spirit was sent down from Heaven." 1Pe 1:12. And the Spirit by illuminating the mind, and exciting grace, assists men to repent and believe; and is promised in rich and liberal supplies to all who humbly and ardently pray for Him. This our Savior assures to us by a most tender and endearing comparison, "if you who are evil, know how to give good things to your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him." Luk 11:13. From hence it follows, that it is from the perverseness of the will, and the love of sin, that men do not obey the gospel. For the Holy Spirit never withdraws his gracious assistance, until resisted, grieved, and quenched by them. It will be no excuse, that divine grace is not conferred in the same eminent degree upon some, as upon others that are converted; for the impenitent shall not be condemned for lack of that singular powerful grace that was the privilege of the elect, but for "receiving in vain" that measure of common grace that they had. If he who received "one talent" had faithfully improved it, he would have been rewarded with more; but upon the slothful and ungrateful neglect of his duty, he was justly deprived of it, and cast into a dungeon of horror, the emblem of Hell. The sentence of the law has its full force upon impenitent sinners, with intolerable aggravations for neglecting the salvation of the gospel.

Concerning the heathens, the Scripture declares:

1st. That although the law published by Moses was not communicated to them—yet there was a silent, though less perfect impression of it in their hearts. The law of nature in the fundamental precepts of religion, and society, and temperance, was better known than obeyed by them. Therefore the apostle indicts them for atrocious crimes, Rom 1:26-27—such as natural conscience, consenting with the law of God, severely forbids upon the pain of damnation. Thus it is said of the heathens, "who knowing the judgment of God, that those who commit such things are worthy of death; not only commit the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" Rom 1:32. And at the last day, "as many as have sinned without the law, as delivered to the Jews, shall be judged and perish, not according to the law of Moses," but the law of nature that obliged them to do good, and restrain themselves from evil; of which the counterpart was not totally deleted in their hearts.

2dly. Although the revelation of Christ in his person, office and benefits, is not by the preaching of the gospel (that is necessary for the "begetting of faith") extended to all nations; yet the grace of the Redeemer is so far universal, that upon his account the indulgent providence of God invited the heathens to repentance. His renewed benefits that sweetened their lives, Rom 2:4, and his powerful patience in forbearing so long to cut them off, when their impurities and impieties were so provoking, was a testimony of his inclination to clemency upon their reformation, Acts 14:17. And for their abusing his favors, and resisting the methods of his goodness, they will be inexcusable to themselves, and their condemnation righteous to their own consciences.