A Discourse of the Judgments of God, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. A general Account, That there are ſeveral Reaſons of Judgments comporting with Gods holy and good Government of the World.
HAving thus far in general endeavoured to ſhew the reaſonableneſs of Judgments, upon conſideration of their agreeableneſs with the firſt ſtate of things, as alſo with the ſecond ſettlement in ſuch a poiſe between proſperity and adverſity, as we find them: let us yet further, and more particularly ſearch thoſe great Principles upon which theſe dreadful ways of God move themſelves, when the ſcale in which unhappineſs and miſery lye, is preſſed down below the equality we now call Nature (though it be not pure and perfect Nature) For they will convey us moſt happily into thoſe rules of practice, by which we may either prevent, remove, or ſuffer them with greateſt advantage: A wiſe ſenſe of them will inable a man to conſpire with the infinite underſtanding that inflicts them, and to accept the puniſhment; by which he changes the nature of it to himſelf, while he votes with God againſt himſelf by the higher part of his Soul, and kiſſes the rod that afflicts him, adoring the righteouſneſs, equity, and faithfulneſs of God in it, as David: I know that thy Judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulneſs haſt afflicted me. But he that ſees not why he ſhould be ſo uſed, hath nothing but a patience created of neceſſity to relieve him, if he be not brutiſhly ſenſeleſs, and ſtupidly bears the knocks that fall on him, till he dyes under them, without any regard to the mind of him that ſends them: we have therefore thoſe accounts given us by God in his Word, that we may ſuffer as men.
That higheſt wiſdom and goodneſs, though he treat in greateſt ſeverities with his rational Creatures, yet allows them the honour of being rational; as great perſons, though malefactors, are notwithſtanding arraigned and condemned with more honourable ceremonies, and have a ſtate in their death; even meaner perſons in Governments humane, and remote from Tyranny, are not ſmothered and ſtifled in the dark, but by publick procedure reaſoned into their condemnation.
It is very diſagreeable to a Soveraign Righteouſneſs, whoſe ſtrength loveth Judgment; to that Creator that made man in his own image, to devote him to deſtruction, ſo much as in this world for his pleaſure, or to give him up to any arbitrary ſpirits that would cruſh him, as men do vileſt Creatures under them, for meer ſport, or becauſe they pleaſe to do ſo: ſo little is that conceit to be aſſented to, that makes ſuch conjectures.
Yet is it not contrary to ſound ſenſe, that man loſing God, and himſelf ſo far, that he caſts off all fear of him, and even unſouls and diſpirits himſelf through ignorance and ſenſuality, ſhould be given up as the prey and ſpoil of thoſe inviſible powers, that being fallen from God, and become ignoble and degenerate, are uſed by him in ſuch black miniſteries, and make uſe (through that Divine permiſſion) ſometimes of one inſtrument, ſometimes of another for their cruelty. Such men are ſunk, as it were too low, for the more honourable chaſtiſements of God himſelf, or thoſe bleſſed Spirits who ſerve him in his Judgments only out of zeal to his glory, never out of envy, or in compaſſion to mankind.
Thus ſome ſort of profligate Rebels, who are not worthy of a ſerious Juſtice or noble purſuit, are by juſt and wiſe States deſerted to be hunted, like beaſts, by any that will, either for recreation or advantage; who are commonly the worſt, that delight to be ſo imployed.
But indeed we find the Scriptures always diſcourſing Gods dealings with men at a higher rate of eſteem then this, and ſuing himſelf to all the moves againſt them, that they may be orderly and juſt, as if the Soul of man would reaſon and debate with him concerning his ways; for ſo indeed we find, there is a ſpirit in man, that in thoſe that are good, humbly and reverently deſires to plead with him, as in Job and Jeremy; and in evil men, contends and calumniates him as unequal, till he convinces them of all their hard ſpeeches againſt him.
And the compariſon can never be equal betwixt man and any of the creatures under him; for they melt away from the leaſt preſſure into death, and ceaſe there: but man dated for Eternity, is therefore of a much higher conſideration; nor have the other thoſe notions of right and wrong, of rewards for doing well, and puniſhments for ill doing, that are implanted in mans Soul. God therefore paſſes into all the caſes of his rational Creatures, and determines upon them ſo, that he will not regret or offend thoſe Principles which he himſelf hath put into them; but in all his Judgments and tryals of them, he comprehends their right in his own, and ſo ſentences them to miſery, as that it could not be otherwiſe conſiſtently with that Juſtice and Righteouſneſs he is to declare. All which are not only argued here in the world, in the darkneſs and low ſtate of Souls, and in this mixture of things, wherein a man cannot truly know love or hatred by any thing that is before him; but in the clearneſs and open air of Eternity, when the ſpirits of men will be at their higheſt pitch, and multitudes of them aculeated with the ſting of an endleſs doom; while other Creatures lye ſtill in their duſt, and covered in their aſhes. Theſe immortal Souls challenging out of rottenneſs their bodies riſe up, & plead with the Almighty concerning themſelves. From whence we infer, that God doth not willingly afflict the children of men ſo much as here, ſeeing it is he that hath put into them, and excites in them theſe powers of debate with himſelf, and thoſe reaſons upon which they argue; and he doth it, that he may be juſtified when he ſpeaketh, and be clear when he judgeth, and that it may be known, that all he doth is, as we have ſaid, upon accounts of Intereſt in his own glory, of ſincereſt intention for the good of his Creation, and of neceſſity for the righteous Government of the world. Of which accounts we ſhall treat particularly, having firſt laid down the fundamental reaſon of Judgments.
The primary reaſon of Judgments is to be found in cloſe connexion with Juſtice and the nature of puniſhment. For Judgments upon a cloſe deſcription, are the executions of puniſhment according to rules of Juſtice. The eſſence of this Juſtice, is in the diſtribution of every ones right to them by an exact ballance of reward and puniſhment according to works, for the eſtabliſhment of righteouſneſs and order in the world, which are both the beauty and peace of it. The ſupreme care of this is in the hand of Original Righteouſneſs and increate Juſtice, whoſe the world, and all the Creatures are, and which is ever awake upon this its Paramount Function.
The nature of puniſhment is found only in pain, without which we can have no poſſible notion of it; for it always imports to us ſomething grievous. And it ſtands upon this reaſon.
Fruition and pleaſure are the laſt ends in which the deſires of man reſt as his happineſs; this is always his reach and contention, through what ways ſoever he ſteers himſelf: When he travels through the mediums of honour or profit, or when he immediately graſps pleaſure it ſelf, or whether theſe be truly, or but apparently what he names them, the ſatisfaction ariſing from them is equally the deſign in all.
This pleaſure or ſatisfaction is the taſt or reflection of man upon the conveniency of things to his Nature, miniſtring delight through the mutual touch and embrace of them one with another, being thereto fitted by the wiſdom and goodneſs of the Author of Nature.
This conveniency of things is called Good; the Fountain of it is God himſelf the Firſt Good; the ſtreams of it are derived from him upon the ſeveral Creatures which flow one among another.
True pleaſure God hath by great skill woven into Holineſs and gracious Action; theſe things being of themſelves moſt accordant to mans Soul: and further, by an eternal and unchangeable conſtitution (which is the foundation of all propriety) ſet it as the reward of obedience to theſe Laws of Goodneſs; ſo that to him who perfectly obſerves them, the reward is reckoned duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page of debt; that the mind conſidering firſt this pleaſure ſpringing from goodneſs, may be led to that as the root of it; then underſtanding it as a reward apportioned to virtuous actions, may be yet more fully invited thereunto.
The whole complex of Good is hereby aſſured both in the preſent accommodations of things to this life and ſtate, and in the ſum of it, eternal life: For godlineſs hath the promiſes of this life, and of that which is to come; and they are rendred to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for honour, glory, and immortality, the paths of which lead to that fulneſs of Joy in the preſence of God, and to thoſe Rivers of pleaſure at his right hand for evermore; which are the moſt commenſurate ſignifications of Happineſs.
On the other ſide, that which ſtands oppoſite to pleaſure, as darkneſs to light, or death to life, is pain; and it is the point from which the Fuga or averſation of the Soul haſtens it with all vehemency. This we ſtyle Evil; for it is the diſagreement of things to our Nature, which awakening reſentment, cauſes greateſt diſpleaſure.
All this evil is by God ſeated in the heart of the evil of ſin, where its proper habitation is; for every impure action being diſſonant to the true make of mans Soul, is as far from pleaſure, rightly ſo called, as it is from goodneſs: and it is moreover prepared for the avenge of diſobedience, as its due portion and reward: From whence both the riſe of unhappineſs is known, and the reaſon underſtood; Death entred by ſin, and the wages of ſin is death, with all the preparations to it.
This evil of puniſhment is adminiſtred by the ſevere Touches of God himſelf as an adverſary, or the unfriendly preſſures of the Creatures upon our Nature, ſet on by his wrath, either in the degrees now, or that complement Scripture calls Hell, where is wailing and gnaſhing of teeth in utter darkneſs, or utter impoſſibility of enjoyment.
This conſtitution of things is the foundation of Religion, the pleaſurable both fruit and remuneration of obedience, and the painful iſſue and recompence of tranſgreſſion, being adapted to the inclining of the mind on each ſide of it; and the more neceſſary, becauſe through the wiſe diſpoſition of things by God for the tryal of man, virtue is beſet with preſent inconveniences (eſpecially ſince our Fall) which deters the ſimple; and on the other ſide, the entertainments of folly and ſin have the ſweetneſs of ſtollen waters, the inticement of Fools: but both theſe are counterballanced by the after and laſting rewards or puniſhments.
Theſe things that are firſt proper to perſons conſidered ſingly, ſpread (as men themſelves do) and combine upon Nations and Communities: For that Juſtice we ſpeak of, is not only as diſtinct as every man is to himſelf, but as large and general as the whole world, that Bodies of men may be awed with the ſame reaſons that ſeem to have greater place upon particulars, and be either proſperous, and ſpend their days in pleaſure; or calamitous, and traveling always with pain, according to their conformities with the Laws of righteouſneſs, or prevarication from them.
Let this then be reduced to the preſent purpoſe. Juſtice always intent upon its high adminiſtration, obſerves the ſins of men, paſſes ſentence upon them, and is ready to execute it. The ſentence upon ſin is the intire ſum of pain and miſery, rolled up in that one commination of dying the death; the proportions, inſtruments, and ſeaſons are choſen by that higheſt wiſdom, that guides the diſpenſation of Juſtice, and the reſidue laid up in ſtore for the laſt Judgment, when the wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and the Nations that forget God.
From hence it is, that Judgments, the great vehicles of pain to the world, move up and down in it, by the appointment of Juſtice to enforce tranſgreſſors to receive that pain, which is the demerit of their ſin (in which elſe they would diſclaim their right) and to compel the Kingdoms of the Earth to drink certainly the Wine-cup of fury (however unwilling they are to it) becauſe it duly appertains to them.
Theſe things are ſo cloſe to mans Soul, that puniſhment is the next expectation after an offence; and if it be delayed, men are ready to cry out, Where is Juſtice? as if it were in a ſlumber: How reaſonable is this account then of Judgments, that there may be a due execution of Juſtice?
In this Reaſon lye the ſeeds of theſe ſequent Reaſons of Judgments.
1. That there may be a ſenſe of Juſtice preſerved in the world, as an admonition againſt ſin. For theſe inflictions are evident as matters of fact, and counterſway the preſent pleaſure of ſin for a ſeaſon, by after-pains.
2. That there may be an expiation of the world; for ſatisfaction for the preſent given to Juſtice for ſin, is a purgation pro tempore.
3. That men may have aſſurances of Judgment to come; ſeeing ſuch a thing as rendring vengeance that is not perfect, leads to that is abſolute.
4. That God may change times and ſeaſons in his Government of the world; for pain unpins and forces the ſtate of things aſunder.
5. To reform men, by ſhewing their folly in ſhaping their courſe to the Country of pain and dolors, that they might find pleaſure.
From this general conſideration, let us paſs to the particular reaſons of Judgments, of which we proceed to ſpeak in order.