Certain Questions and Answers Concerning the Knowledge of God, Part 51 – Part 56
What is the cause of merciemercy in God.
Q. Wel then seeing the scriptures do speake so for our vnderstanding, let vsus heare whereof this merciemercy commeth?
A. The cause is not in vsus, but onelyonly in God him selfe, and merciemercy in God doth spring out of his free louelove towardes vsus.
Q. Why do you saie out of the free louelove of God? are there more loues in God then one?
A. There are two kindes of louelove in God, one is where with the father loueth the son, and the son the father, & which the holie Ghost beareth towards both the father and the son; and this louelove I call the natural louelove of God, so that the one cannot but louelove the other: but the louelove wherwith he loueth vsus, is voluntarie, not being constrained thereunto, and therefore is called the free louelove of God.
And heereof it commeth also,Note. that merciemercy is wholy free, that is without reward, or hope of recompence, and excludeth all merit.
Q. How proue you that the merciemercy of God ariseth out of his louelove?
A. That the louelove of God is the cause of his merciemercy it is manifest in the scriptures, 1. Tim. 1.2. Paul saluteth Timothie in this order.…. Tim. 1.2. Grace, merciemercy and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ; to shew that that peace which the world cannot giuegive, the mercy of God is the cause of it: & the cause of his mercy, is his grace, and his grace is nothing els but his free fauour & louelove towards vsus.
The same order doth Paul obserue in Tit. 3.4. 5. where he saith,Tit. 3.4.5. When the goodnesse and louelove of God our Sauiour towards man appeared, not by the workes of righteousnesse, which wee had done: but according to his mercy he saued vsus, &c. First, hee sets downe the goodnes of God as the cause of his louelove. 2. His louelove as the cause of his mercy. And 3. his mercy as the cause of our saluation, & our saluation as the effect of all. And therfore there is nothing in vsus which may moue the Lord to shew mercy vponupon vsus, but only because he is goodnes it selfe by nature. And to this doth the Psalmist beare witnesse,Psal. 100.5. saying: That the Lord is good, his mercy is euerlasting, and his truth is from generation to generation.
Q. Towardes whom is the merciemercy of God extended or shewed?
A. For the opening of this point, we are to consider that the merciemercy of God is two folde. First, generall. 2. speciall. God as a God doth shewe merciemercy generallie vponupon all his creatures,Psal. 1.104. being in miserie,Psal. 147. and chiefly to men whether they be iust or vniust, and so doth succour them either immediatly by himselfe, or els mediatly by creatures, as by Angels, or men, by the heauens, by the elements, and by other liuing creatures. And this generall merciemercy of God is not extended to the eternall saluation of all, although it be but temporarie and for a while.Luke 6.36. Of this reade in Luke. 6.36.
Q. What saie you of the speciall merciemercy of God?
A. That I call the speciall mercy of God, which God as a most free God hath shewed to whome he would, and denied to whome hee would. And this perteineth onelie to the elect, and those which feare him,Psal. 103.11. for hee sheweth merciemercy vponupon them to their eternall saluation, and that most constantlie, while he doth effectuallie call them vntounto himselfe, while hee doth trulie and freelie pardon their sinnes, & iustifie them in the blood of the Lambe Iesus Christ, while hee doth sanctifie them to his owne glorie, and doth glorifie them onelie in eternall life: and of this speciall merciemercy we may reade in Eph. 2.4.5.6.
Q. How great is the merciemercy of God?
A. It is so great that it cannot be expressed nor conceiued of vsus: & that is proued by these scriptures following. Psal. 145.9. Iam. 2.13. 1. Cor. 11.32. Psal. 57.10.
Q. How long doeth the merciemercy of God continue towardes vsus?
A. Although the merciemercy of God bee great and infinite in Christ, yet for that merciemercy which pardoneth our sinnes, and calleth vsus to faith and repentance by the Gospell: &c. there is no place after death, but onlie while we liue in this world: which is warranted by these places ensuing. Gal. 6.10. Let vsus doe good whiles wee hauehave time, to shew that a time will come when wee shall not be able to do good.
Apo. 7.17. Bee faithfull vntounto death, and I wil giuegive thee a crowne of life: to shew that the time which is giuen vntounto death, is a time of repentance, and of exercising of faith and of workes: but after death, there is no time but to receiue either an immortall crowne, if we hauehave bin faithfull, or euerlasting shame if we hauehave beene vnfaithfull. Besides these, see Apoca. 14.13. Marke 9.45. Esaie vlt. 24. Luke 16.24.25.26. Matth. 25.11.12. Ioh. 9.4.
The vses of Gods merciemercy.
Q. What vses may we make of Gods merciemercy?
A. First it serueth to humble vsus: for the greater merciemercy is in God, the greater miserie is in vsus.
2 We must attribute our whole saluation to his merciemercy,
3 Wee must flie to God in all our troubles, with most sure confidence.
4 Wee must not abuse it to the libertie of the flesh in sinne, for although wee might finde merciemercy with God after death, for the merciemercy of God perteineth especiallie to those that feare him.Psal. 103.11.
5 The meditation of Gods merciemercy towardes vsus, should make vsus to louelove God. Psal. 116.1. Luke 7.47.
2 To feare God. Psal. 130.4.
3 To praise God for his mercies. Psal. 103.2.3.4.
6 It must make vsus mercifull one to another, Luke 6.36. Matth. 18.32.33.
Of the iustice or righteousnes of God.
Q. What is meant in the scripture by the righteousnesse or iustice of God?
A. There bee foure principall significations of the word Iustice.
Sometime it is taken for absolute goodnesse, or for a vertue which conteineth al other vertues in it, in full perfection, wanting nothing that they should hauehave in euerie part and dutie. And so it is taken in 1. Tim. 1.9. where Paul saith. The law is not giuen to a righteous man. For what law shalbe made for him that is without sinne, and is filled with all vertues, both in himselfe, & towardes all men. Such a one is God, who is most perfectlie good, and goodnesse it selfe, both in himselfe and of himselfe, and towards others also, & therefore iustice is rightly attributed vntounto God in the scriptures.
Q. What els is meant by iustice?
A. Secondlie, it is put onelie for that honestie, sinceritie and vprightnesse, which is requried of eueryevery man according to his place, state and condition, wherein he is. And so a man may be good and iust in his office, and vnreproueable also and yet may offend in other things.
Q. Make your meaning manifest by some example.
A. A man may be called a iust & a good husband, which doth not faile in anie point of his duetie towards his wife, and yet the same man may bee an vniust father, because hee faileth in his dutie to his children.
Or a man may be a iust magistrate, and yet but a bad Christian.
Q. And may it be attributed to God as a vertue which declareth one to be iust according to the state and condition wherein he liueth?
A. Yea verie well, and most properly, for no man doth beare himselfe more iustly and vprightly in his office, then God doth in his gouernment, according to the diuers persons which he doth represent: for he hath taken vponupon himselfe the person of a iudge, of a father, of a teacher, of a spouse, &c. In all which, and in the rest, God doth shewe himselfe in such a sort, as no creature can behaue himselfe. And therefore hee is worthelie called in the Scriptures, not onelyonly a righteous god, but also a righteous Lord, a righteous iudge, a righteous father, a righteous king, and Sauiour, &c.
Q. For what els is iustice taken?
A. Thirdly, this worde Iustice, or Righteousnes, is restrained to a speciall vertue, which is called particular iustice, and it is either distributiue or correctiue: and in one worde it giueth to euerye one his right, of which Paule speaketh Rom. 13.7 and in this sence it is most properly attributed to God also.
Q. What els is signified by the name of Iustice?
A. Fourthly and lastly, by iustice is vnderstoode truth it selfe, and faithfulnes in words and promises: and he is said to be iust of his word, which performeth so much as he promiseth, in which … sence it is to be taken in 1. Iohn. 1.9. and in Psal. 31.1. Deliuer me in thy righteousnes, that is in thy faithfulnes, or as thou hast promised.
And in this sence it is most properlye attributed to God also, for none is so iust and faithfull, as he is who loueth righteousnes and hateth vnrighteousnes: as the Psalmist saith in Psal. 11.5.7. And who only is true when all men are liers, as it is: Rom. 3.4.
How many waies one is iust.
Q. Is this sufficient to shewe how God is properlye called a iust God?
A. No, but besides this that hath bene spoken, we must consider, that one may be iust or righteous (in what sence soeuer iustice be taken) 3. mā ner of waies, viz. either by nature, by grace, or by yeelding willing and perfect obedience to God and his law.
Q. How may one be righteous by nature?
A. Two waies, either by himselfe, and of himselfe, in his own essence & being, or else dy the benefit of another, to be either made righteous, or borne iust.
Q. Who is iust by nature in himselfe, and of himselfe?
A. None but God onelyonly, as Christ saide; none is good but God onelyonly.
Q. Who is made iust by nature?
A. That was Adam in the beginning, because he was … iust, and in … whole nature was righteous and good.
Q. Who do you call iust by grace?
A. All the elect which are redeemed by the death of Christ, and that two waies.
1. Because the righteousnes of Christ, is imputed vntounto them, and so by grace and fauour in Christ their head, they are iust before God.
2. Because of grace and fauour they are regenerated by the holy Ghost, by the vertue of whose inherent righteousnesse and holinesse, they are made holie and iuste, and whatsoeuer they doe by it, is accepted as iust for Christs sake.
Q. Whome do you call iust and righteous, by yeelding willing and perfect obedience to God and his law.
A. No man in this world after the fall of Adam, as he was man, euer was, or can be iust after that manner.
How the elect and Christ are iust.
Q. Why then are so many called iust in the scriptures, as Dauid, Iob, Zacharie, Elizabeth, &c, of whō it is said they walked in the waies of the Lord, and were iust men?
A. They might be called iust and righteous foure waies.
1 In respects of their willes and endeuours, because their study and endeuour was to be righteous.
2 In respect of the wicked, by way of comparison.
1. Sam. 12.3.45.3 In the sight and iudgement of men, because the worlde could not charge thē with vniust dealing, as was Samuell.
4 They are called iust, because they were accompted iust, and their imperfect obedience, (as also of all the elect) is accepted with GOD for most perfect righteousnes, for Christ his sake.
Q. What say you of Christ how was he iust?
A. Our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is most perfectly iust and righteous, eueryevery māner of way.
1 As he is God, he is in his own essence, of him selfe, and by himselfe, most iust; euen as the Father is: and eternall righteousnes it selfe.
2 As he was man, he was iust by nature, because he was conceiued without sinne, and so was borne iust and righteous.
3 By vertue of his vnion with his diuine nature, which is eternall righteousnes it selfe, he is most iust.
4 By receiuing the giftes of the holye Ghost, without measure,Psal. 45 7. he is most iust. Lastly, he did most perfectlye obey the law of God, and most absolutely did keepe the lawe of God, therefore that way also he is most iust and righteous.
Q. What conclude you vponupon all this?
A. I conclude, that forasmuch as God only is in his owne essence and nature, by himselfe and of himselfe, eternall iustice and righteousnes: therfore this attribute of iustice or righteousnes, doth most properly agree to God.
The iustice of God is fourefolde.
Q. Well, you hauehave shewed how many thinges iustice is put for, as also how many wayes our wayes bee sayde to be iust: now declare how manye sortes Gods iustice is, or how many waies he is iust and righteous?
H. Although indeed the iustice of God be but one and his verie essence, yet in diuers respectes it may be said to be fourefold, or it may be …oure waies considered.
Q, Which is the first way that God is iust and righteous?
A. First; as the Lord of all things hauing most free authoritie, and not bound to any, he woorketh some things, and those things are most iust and righteous.
Q. What things are those?
A. They are these and such like.
1▪ He decreed from all eternitie to create all things.
2 Of his own free will, and according to his eternall purpose, he suffered all men to fall into sinne and death.
3. He decreed eternally to choose some of thē to eternall life, and in his time appointed to free them from their sinnes and death eternall by Iesus Christ.
4, He determined to cast the rest into euerlasting torments, and that most iustly, because his will cānot be vniust: and God himselfe is iustice and righteousnes it selfe.
5. He doth an infinite number of things in his secret will or counsaile, whereof we can giuegive no reason, but only because it so pleased him: as to harden some, and to soften other some; to elect some, & to reiect others: al which he may by the right of a creator and Lord ouer all things, and yet remaineth in them all, most iust & righteous, which also is ratified by these places following. Psal. 145.17. Ro. 9.14.15. Math. 20.15. Rom. 9.21.