Certain Questions and Answers Concerning the Knowledge of God, Part 57 – Part 65
God is a iust iudge and yet most free.
Q. What is the rule of Gods iustice?
A. His own free will and nothing els, for God doth not alwaies a thing because it is iust, but therefore any thing is iust that is iust, because God will hauehave it so, and yet his will is euer ioyned with high wisdome, as for example: Abraham did iudge it a most iust and righteous thing to kill his innocent Sonne; not by the Lawe, for that did forbid him, but only because he did vnderstand that it was the speciall will of God, and he knew that the will of God was not onlye iust, but also the rule of all righteousnes.
Q. Which is your second waie that you saye God is iust?
A. Secondlye: God doth infinite things, as he is the God of all, as well of the reprobate as of the elect; and all these his workes are most iust and righteous.
Q. What workes or things are those?
A. As to create all thinges, to conserue all things, to gouerne all things, to cause his Sunne to shine, and his raine to fall vponupon all, both good and bad, and to doo good vntounto all: for, that God is the God of all, is nothing els but to be the maker of all, preseruer of all, the gouernour & ruler of all, and a benefactor to all: So God is set forth in Esay. 46.4. 1. Tim. 4.10. And this righteousnes of God, is his great and infinite goodnesse: for it is of his infinite goodnes, that hee maketh all, gouerneth all, and doeth good to all.
Qu. Which is the thirde way that God is iust and righteous?
An. Thirdly, God doeth some thinges as hee is the God of the elect onelyonly, and that is after a more speciall manner then to be the God of all: and for this cause is he called the God of Abraham, and of his seede; that is, of the elect. And when he speaketh of the elect, he calleth himselfe not onelyonly their God, but also their father, their sauiour, their husband, and their spouse; to shewe, that after a most excellent sort, he is their God, more then he is of other men. And therfore he is called their righteous father.
Iohn 17.25Q. What is this speciall iustice which hee sheweth to his elect?
A. 1 It is his speciall goodnes and merciemercy, from whence, as from a fountaine, springeth our election, calling, iustification, and glorification by Christ.
2 It is his speciall trueth, it is the accomplishment and fulfilling of all his promises made to Abraham, and to other of our forfathers, wherby he bound himselfe to saue vsus in Christ.
Q. Which is the fourth respect for which God is called iust and righteous?
A. Fourthly, we holde that God doth something as a Iudge, who geueth to eueryevery one according to his works, and so we cal God a iust God, & a most righteous iudge. And that God is a iudge of all, and righteous in all his iudgements, it appeareth by these testimonies of the Scripture. Psal. 7.8.11. Psal. 50.4.6. 2. Tim. 4.8.
Q. HaueHave you any more to say concerning this last iustice, or righteousnes of God?
A. Yea: concerning this iustice of God, we must note two things.
1 That it is vpright and perfect.
2 That it is free.
Q. What meane you when you say, it is perfect or vpright?
A. I meane first, that God as a most iust Iudge, doeth not onelyonly iustifie and acquite the righteous, & condemne the vnrighteous: but also doth louelove righteousnes, and hate iniquitie: Psal. 5.5.7.
2 As it is the propertie of a iust Iudge to geue to euerie one his due, setting all couetousnes, and all respect of persons aside; and chieflie to the poore and afflicted: so the Lord doeth and hath promised to heare the poore and desolate, when they crie vntounto him, if they cannot gette iustice amongst men vponupon earth: and this he doth without rewarde, and without respect of persons, as it is in Deut. 10.17.18. Exod. 22.27.
Question. What meane you by saying that it is free?
Answere. I meane that he is not as a Iudge that is sworne; but as a Lorde most free, whose will is iustice and righteousnes it selfe, and so may at his pleasure, either absolue besides the lawe, or punish a fault more gently, then the greatnes of the fault doeth require.
Question.
But why doeth God spare some, and punish some more lightly then their sinne deserueth, if he be an vpright and a iust Iudge?
A. Because he is a most mercifull God, whose merciemercy exceedeth his iudgement. And to be mercifull is proper to God, not as he is a Iudge, but as he is a God.
Q. But why doeth he deferre their punishments?
A. Not to let the wicked goe vnpunished: but, as he is slowe to anger; so he wil pay home, and increase the punishment when it doeth come. Againe, there is one certaine day (and that is the last day) appointed, wherein God shall take iuste punishment of al the wicked and vngodly, which goe to their graue without repentance.
Q. But seeing that all men hauehave sinned, why is not euerlasting death awarded to all, but to some euerlasting life?
A. Euerlasting death is not due to all, because some are freed from their sinne by the death of Christ, in whome God hath punished all their sinnes.
Q. If life be due to them, shew by what right they shal hauehave it.
A. It is due to them being iustified in Christ, and made the children of God: they are also become heires of the kingdome: and God, in geuing them eternall life, doeth shew himselfe, not only mercifull: but also iust of his promise.
Q. If God be iust and righteous in all his waies, why did hee will the Israelites to take away the Egyptians goods, and yet forbiddeth vsus such things in his law?
A. These things are contrarie to his law, if they be done by men onelyonly; but if God doeth them, they are most iust, and most agreeable to his will: for creatures are bound one to another, but God is bound to none.
Q. If God be iust in all his waies, why doeth he reward the wicked, and punish the godly?
A. In the wickedest be some good things, and in the godliest be some euill things: and God hath promised to rewarde vertue, and to punish sinne wheresoeuer he findeth it. Therfore, he rewardeth the good (yet his owne good) in the wicked with temporall blessings: and punisheth sinne in the godly (but their owne sinne) with temporall punishments: but eternall torments are reserued in hell for the wicked; and eternall blessings are reserued in heauen for the godlie.
Q. Why doeth God so vnequally punish the sinne of the wicked, and reward the vertue of the godly; punishing the one with infinite punishment, and rewarding the other with infinite happines: when as the sinne is finite, and the vertue is finite likewise.
A. Hee dealeth not vnequallie with them, for their sinne is infinite, and therefore their infinite punishment is proportionable to their sinne.
Q. How prooue you that their sinne is infinite?
A. It shall appeare if we consider in sinne three things.
1 The obiect, against whom it is committed; and that is God, whose maiestie and goodnes is infinite.
2 The subiect in which sinne is, and that is the soule, which is infinite.
3 The minde, wherewith sinne is committed, would of it selfe neuer cease, and so infinite. The punishment therfore of this sinne must needes be infinite.
Question.
Why then doe not the godlie suffer infinite punishment also, for their sinne is infinite as well as the others?
Answere.
Christ hath suffered it for them, and therefore they are quitte by Christ.
How Christes death was equall to eternall death.
Q. The sufferings of Christ were not eternall, for hee suffered that, which he did suffer but a while vppon the earth, in the garden, and vponupon the crosse; hee lay three dayes in the graue, and rose againe the thirde day, & is now in heauen: how then did he suffer eternall punishment for the faithfull?
A. Although his torments were not eternal, yet they were equiualent, or equall to eternall torments. For as much as neither man, nor Angell did suffer them, but the eternall Sonne of God in our nature; his person, maiestie, deitie, goodnes, iustice, righteousnes, being eueryevery way infinite, and eternall; made that which hee suffered, of no lesse force and value then eternall tormentes vponupon others, yea, vponupon all the worlde besides. For euen as the death of a Prince, (being but a man, and a sinfull man) is of more reckoning then the death of an armie of other men, because hee is the Prince: much more shall the death and sufferinges of the Sonne of God, the Prince of all Princes, not finite, but euerie way infinite and without sin, much more I saie, shall that be of more reckoning with his father, then the sufferings of all the world: and the time of his sufferings of more value (for the worthinesse of his person) then if all the worlde besides had suffered for euer. And therefore blessed be his name for euer and euer. Amen.
Of the anger of God.
Q. When the scriptures doe attribute anger to God, what must we vnderstand by anger?
A. Not any passion, perturbation, or trouble of the minde, as it is in vsus: but this word Anger, when it is attributed to God in the scriptures, it signifieth three things.
1 It signifieth a most certaine and iust decree in God, to punish and reuenge such iniuries as are offered to himselfe, and to his Church, and so it is vnderstood in Ioh. 3.36. Rom. 1.18.
2 It is put in the scriptures for the threatnings of those punishments and reuenges. As in Psal. 6. 1. Hose 11.9. Iona. 2.9.
3 It is taken in the scriptures for the punishments themselues, which God doth execute vponupon vngodlie men: and these are the effectes of Gods anger, or of his decree to punish them, and so it is taken in Rom. 2.5. Mat. 3.7. Eph. 5.6.
Q. How long doth the anger of God endure?
A. The anger of God is threefold: general, temporall, & eternall. Of the first Paul speaketh, Eph. 5.6. The second is such as lasteth for a time in this world, and is common both to the godly and vngodly. The third is proper onelyonly to the reprobate in hell, & due also to all men by nature, for weare all called by nature the children of wrath: but the elect are freed from the euerlasting wrath of god, by their mediatour and redeemer Iesus Christ.
Q. Is God angry with all alike?
A. No: for with his children he is angrie but as father; but with the reprobate hee is angrie as a reuenging iudge: as appeareth in Exod. 32.12. Psal. 103.13.
Q. How do the scriptures speake of the eternall anger of God?
A. It is called the wrath to come in 1. Thess. 1. vlt. and not in vaine, for when it is come, it is stil to come, and neuer at an ende, but the beginning of it is in this life, Ioh. 3.36.
Q. Is there not a day appointed for it?
A. Yes, & it is called the day of wrath, in Ro. 2.5. And they which shall hauehave it bestowed vponupon them, are called vessels of wrath. Rom. 9.22. to shew that the vngodly men of this world (liuing & dying without repentance) shall then bee emptied of all their pleasures, and shall be filled with torments, as a vessell is filled with water.
What sins soonest kindle Gods anger.
Q. What sinnes doe most especially kindle the wrath of God against a land or a kingdome?
A. All sinnes do prouoke Gods wrath, but some more specially then some, and they are both against the first and second Table.
Q. What sinnes against the first Table?
A. 1 Idolatrie, Rom. 1.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30. Deut. 32.21.22. 1. Cor. 10.5.7.14.
2 Tempting of God. 1. Cor. 10.9. Psal. 78.17. 18.19. Psal. 106.14.15.
3 Murmuring against God, his workes and will, 1. Cor. 10.10.
4 Rebellion against God his lawes and ordinances. Psal. 2.3.4.5.9. Psal. 106.16.17. Numb. 14.9.11.12. Numb. 16.1.2.3.29.30.31 32.33.41.45.49.
5 Blasphemie against God Hebr. 6.6.
6 Prophaning the Sabboth. Nehemi. 13.18.
Q. What sinnes against the second Table.
1 Contempt of parents & gouernors. Exod. 21.15. Prou. 30.17. Deut. 27.16.
2 Neglect of Iustice, and abusing the place of Iustice, by those which God hath placed there. Psal. 82.6.7. Amos 6.12.
3 Shedding of innocent blood. Gen. 4.10. For as a father cannot abide to see his children murthered before his face, no more can God.
4 Oppression of the poore. Exod. 22.22.23. Amos 2.3.6.7.8. Mal. 3.5.
5 Filthie and vnbrideled lust. Gen. 19.4.5.7. 8.9.24. Ezech. 16.49.50.
Lastlie, all sinnes, or anie sinne is matter sufficient to kindle the wrath of God, and to make it to flame out against a lande: how much more then shall it be kindled, when all these are put togither?
Q. Whether may the wrath of God be foreseene and preuented, or no?
A. The eternall wrath of God which the reprobate shall feele, shall neuer bee preuented nor quenched.
Q. What saie you to the temporall wrath of God?
A. It may bee foreseene three maner of waies, First, by the Oracles of the Prophets, and by reasons drawne from the lawe. Secondly, by signes in the heauens, in the earth, and in the sea. Thirdly, one lighter punishment doth often foreshew a greater to come.
When the wrath of God is thus foreseene, there is no way to preuent it from comming, or to quench it when it is kindled,Psal 2.12. but by true repentance, and a liuely faith.
Q. What vse may we make of the anger of God?
A. The vse of this attribute is three folde.
1 It teacheth vsus that anger of it selfe is not simply euill, for it is most properlie attributed to God.
Q. When is our anger good?
A. When it is such as the scripture attributeth to God, and commendeth to men, when it saith be angrie,Ephes. 4.25. but sin not.
How we sin in our anger.
Q. How manie waies is sinne committed in our anger?
A. Three waies, first when we are angrie for no cause, or for a light cause. 2. When wee are angrie with sinnes, as they are iniuries offered to our selues, but not as they are against God.
3. When wee turne our anger against our brethren & the persons of men, which is due against their sinnes.
Q. What is the second vse that wee must make of it?
A. Secondlie: Gods anger serueth to raise vsus vp from securitie.
Q. What is your third vse?
A. Thirdlie: we must not be slouthfull when we see the signes of Gods anger and his wrath comming, but vse ordinarie meanes to preuent it.
Of the hatred of God.
Q. Whether may hatred bee properly attributed to God, or no?
A. Yes, it may: for the scriptures do saie of God that he hateth iniquitie. Psal. 5.5.
Obiection.
If louelove bee properlie attributed to God; then is hatred improperlie attributed to him: for hatred is contrarie to louelove, and besides that, hatred is an euill passion of the minde: and therefore it cannot be properly attributed to God?
A. For the vnderstanding of this question, we must note, that hatred which is attributed to God, may be considered two waies.
1. As it is such as is in vsus, and so it is indeede verie improperly attributed to GOD. For in vsus it is a passion, and a griefe of the mind, but in God is no passion.
2. It is to bee considered, as the scriptures doe teach it to be in God: and in that sense in which they doo attribute it to him, and if we take hatred in that sence, then it is properly attributed to God.
Three things vnderstood by Gods hatred.
Q. Declare then in what sence or signification the Scriptures doo speake of hatred as it is attributed to God?
A. In the Scriptures the hatred of God hath 3. significations.
1 It signifieth his deniall of good will, and merciemercy, to eternall saluation: I hauehave hated Esau, that is,Rom. 9.13 I hauehave reiected him, and hauehave not vouchsafed him that fauor & grace, which I hauehave shewed vponupon Iacob.
And we also are said to hate those thinges which we neglect, and vponupon which we wil bestow no benefite, nor credite: but do put them besides other things: and therefore it is saide, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, & wife, and children, &c. he cannot be my disciple: that is, he that doeth not put all these thinges behinde mee, and neglect them for mee: so that the louelove that he beareth to them, must seeme to be hatred in comparison of that louelove, which he must shew to me. And in this sense it is properly attributed to God.
Q. What is the second thing that is vnderstood by the hatred of God?
A. Secondly, it signifieth the decree of Gods wil, to punish sinne, and the iust punishment it selfe, which he hath decreed: as in Psal. 5.6. and in Iob. 30.21. Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against mee, and art enemy vntounto me with the strength of thy hand, that is, thou doost so sore chastice me, as if thou didst hate me.
And in this sence also it is properly attributed to God, for it is proper to God, to take punishment of sinners, and it is a parte of his iustice.
Q. What is the third signification of this word?
A. Thirdlye, it is put for Gods displeasure, for those things which we hate, do displease vsus: and in this sence also it is properly attributed to God, for it is the propertie of a most iust iudge to disalowe and to detest euill, aswell as to allow and like that which is good.
And this may be confirmed by two reasons.
1 It is the propertie of him that loueth, to hate & detest that which is contrarie to himselfe, and to that which he loueth: for louelove cānot be without his contrarie of hatred, and therefore as the louelove of good things doth properly agree to God: so doth also the hatred of euill things,Psa. 139.21.22. as they are euill.
2 It is manifest by Dauid, that it is no lesse vertue to hate the euill, then it is to louelove the good. And this hatred of sinne (as it is a vertue and a perfect hatred) cannot be in vsus but by the grace of God:Ia. 1.37 For eueryevery good gift is from aboue, &c. And there can be no good thing in vsus: but it is first in God after a more perfect manner then it is in vsus.
Whom God doth hate, and whom not.
Q. Now shew vsus against whome or what this hatred of God is bent, and against whom it is not?
A. God is said in the Scriptures to hauehave hated three things.
1 The reprobate before they were created.
2 The same reprobate when they are become wicked and vngodly.
3 Wickednes it selfe.
Q. How is it means that God should hate the reprobate before they were created?
A. He is said to hate them (euen before the worlde was) not simplye, but in comparison of the elect, for as he is saide to hauehave loued th'elect because he would their euerlasting happines: so he is saide to hauehave hated the reprobate, because he would not vouchsafe them the same happines, but did reiect them to eternall woe, and that in his iust iudgement, although hidden from vsus.
Q. How is God saide to hate them, when they are created and become wicked men?
A. Two waies.
First, so farre foorth as he detesteth them for their iniquitie and hatred against God; for he hateth not their nature which he made himself, but the sinne which cleaueth and dwelleth in their nature: so God doth hate and abhorre the wicked themselues, not as they are men, but as they are wicked and rebellious, for eueryevery one both in soule and bodie is good, as hee is created of God.
Secondly, God is said to hate the wicked men, when he doth punish their impietie and hatred against his Maiestie, with many plagues both spirituall and corporall, both temporal and eternall. Therefore the Psalmist after he had saide: Thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie; presentlie he addeth in the next verse:Psa. 5.5.6. Thou shalt destroy them that speake lyes, the Lord will abhorre the bloudy and deceitfull man: to shewe that for God to inflict punishment vponupon the reprobate and vngodlye, is to hate them: and to hate them, is to destroy them.
Q. How may it appeare that God hateth iniquitie?
A. That is most cleer, for he doth destroye it in the reprobate by eternall condemnation, and he doth take it from the elect by iustification, yea he doth so hate sinne, that to take it away from his elect and chosen Children, he hath laide it vponupon his owne Sonne Iesus Christ, and hath condemned it in his flesh, as Esay saith:Esay, 53.5.4. whereby God hath shewed not only vnspeakeable louelove towards his elect, but also a most holy and perfect hatred against sinne.
Q. Doth God neuer hate and detest his elect and chosen?
A. Indeed he is often angry with them as a louing Father, and doth oftentimes seuerelye chastice them, but he neuer hateth them.
Q. How proue you that he neuer hateth them?
A. I proue it by good reason, for his louelove towards them is perpetuall and constant: therefore it cannot be that he should hate them at any time.
Againe, he doth neuer deny them his mercye, but doth shew merciemercy vntounto them, after they hauehave sinned; for he doth endue them with faith and repentance, and so doth pardon their sinnes: therfore he doth not hate them.
Q. If he doth not hate them, why doth he so seuerlye afflict them.
A. Hee doth that of his louelove which he beareth towards them, for the Scripture saith, whom he loueth he correcteth,…o. 3.11. Heb. 12.6. Cor. 11.32. and therfore he correcteth them because he loueth them, that they might not be dāned with the wicked world. See 2. Sam. 7.14.15. and Psal. 89.30.31.32.33.34.
The vses of Gods hatred.
Q. What is the vse of all this doctrine?
A. First wee learne hereby that it is a great vertue, and acceptable to God to hate wickednes, and wicked men themselues: not as they are men, but as they are wicked and vngodly, as David did.Psa. 139.21.22. And we are no lesse bound to hate the enemies of God (as they are his enemies) then to louelove God and those that louelove him: and if we doe so, then we must also flye their companye, and hauehave no frendship or fellowship with them.
Secondly, we are taught hereby, that we must distinguish between mens persons and their sins, and not to hate the persons of men, because they are the good creatures of God, but their sinnes we must hate eueryevery day more and more. And this we are taught by the Apostles precept, in 2. Thes. 3.6.14.15.