Body of Divinity, Book 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of Gods Iustice, Truth, Faithfulnesse.
A Third vertue in God is Iustice, by which God in all things wills that which is just; or it is the Attribute whereby *Iustitia est qua Deus in se justus est, & extra se conūanti voluntate suum cuique tribuit.. Wendeli-Genes. 18. 25. Isa 9. 7. Psal. 45. 6. Iustitia disponens, qua Deus universa & singula justo ordine disponit & gubernat. Deut. 32. 4. Psalm 11. 7. & 48. 11. & 145. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 17. …m. 2. from the 6. to the 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Col. 3. 25. Rev. 22. 12. Iustitia Distribuens est gratiae velirae: illa est promptissima voluntas praestandi promissa: ista, voluntas implendi comminationes. Wendelinus. Mat. 19. 29. God assigns fit rewards for well and evil doing.God is just in and of himself, and exerciseth justice toward all creatures, and giveth every one his due, Isa 45. 21. Psal. 11. 7. Gen. 18. 25. Zeph. 3. 5. Rom. 2. 6, 7. 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2 Thess. 1. 6, 7. 2 Tim 4. 8. 1 Iohn 1 9. & 2. 29. Justice in man is a setled will to do right in every thing to every person, so God hath a setled will to do right, Shall not the Iudge of all the world do right? and, Are not my ways equal? God stiles himself by this title, and gives himself this Attribute, Zeph. 3. 5.
Gods Justice is twofold:
1. Disposing, by which, as a most free Lord and Supreme Monarch of all, he disposeth all things in his actions according to the rule of equity, and imposeth most just Laws upon his creatures, commanding and forbidding onelyonly that which is fit for them in right reason to do and forbear.
2. Distributive, which renders to every one according to his work, without respect of persons, Psal. 62. 12. Iob 34. 11, 19. Prov. 24. 12. Ier. 32. 19. Ezek. 7. 27. Mat. 16. 27. Deut. 16. 17. 2 Chron▪ 19. 7. Acts 10. 34. Ephes. 6. 9. Gal. 2. 6. and this distributive justice is also twofold, praemii, & paenae, of reward and punishment.
1. Of reward, when God bountifully rewards the obedience of the creature with a free reward, 2 Thess. 1. 5, 7. Mat. 10. 41, 42. Mark 9. 41. God bestows this reward not onelyonly on the godly, both by heaping divers mercies on them in this life, and by the fulnesse of glory and felicity in the life to come, but also on the wicked, whose moral actions he rewards with temporary rewards in this world, as the obedience of Iehu, the repentance of Ahab.
2. Of punishment, by which he appointeth to the delinquent creature, theDogma est Armyraldi, quod peculiari libro propugnavit, Deum posse, il…ibataisua justitia, prosuo summo jure, torquere cruciatibus …ternis animam sanct…a…n & innocentem. Si dixisset, Deum posse anim … sanctam destruere, cam reducendo ad nilulum, quanquam inutilis est qu…stio, & temeraria, …olim tamen pertinaciter super e… re du…re contentionis sunem. Sed bene est quod Amyraldus libro adve…sus: Spanhemium foreign …t si… contradi…, dicit enim, Deum non posse … s… impetrare quin peccata Condonet resipisceti. Molin. praefat. ad Iudiciu a de Amyr. lib. adversas Sphanhem. punishment of eternal death for the least sinne, Gen. 2. 17. Rom 6. 23. which death is begun in this life, in divers kindes of miseties and punishments, which for the most part are proportionable to their sins, Gen. 3. 17. and 20. 18▪ but is perfected in the life to come. when the full wrath of God is poured upon it, Iohn 3. 36. 2 Thess. 1. 16.
This justice is so essential *Gods justice is not a quality or accident in him, but his very nature, essential to him A man may be a man, and yet unjust; but God cannot be God, and be unjust. Gerh. loc. com.to God, immutable, and (as I may so speak) inexorable, that he cannot remit the creatures sins, nor free them from punishment, unlesse his justice be satisfied; God cannot dispense against himself, because sins do hurt the inward vertue of God, and the rule of righteousnesse, the integrity therefore and perfection of God cannot stand, if he satisfie not that; yet through his bounty and goodnesse he hath found out a way by which due satisfaction may be given thereunto; viz. By Christ, who hath born a punishnent equivalent to our sins, for us.
The Scripture proves the justice of God,
1. Affirmatively, when it calls him Just, A Revenger, Holy, Right, and extols his Justice, Exod. 9. 27. Psal. 11. 7, Ier. 12. 1.
2. Negatively, when it removes from him injustice and iniquity, respect of persons, and receiving of gifts, and also all the causes and effects of injustice, Deut. 32. 4. & 10. 17. Dan. 9. 14. Iob 8. 3.
3. Affectively, when it Attributes to him zeal, anger, fury, Exod. 20. 5. & 32. 10. Numb. 11. 10. which are not in God such passions as they be in us, but an act of the immutable Justice.
4. Symbolically, when it calls him a consuming fire, Deut. 4. 24. compares him to an angry Lyon, an armed Souldier, Isa. 38. 13.
5. Effectively, when it affirms that he renders to every one according to his works, 1 Sam. 26. 23.
Gods Justice comprehends his righteousnesse and truth, he is just in words and deeds.
Gods Justice *The righteousnesse of God is taken divers ways in Scripture, sometimes for the essential Attribute of God, sometimes for the righteousnesse of faith, which is called the Righteousnesse of God, because it is such a righteousnesse as God doth approve of, and with which we may appeal boldly in his presence. Again, righteousnesse is taken for his truth and faithfulnesse in promises. David prays God to do good to him for his righteousnesse, he means, his faithfulnesse in his promises. See Mr. Burrhows on Mnt. 5. 6.is considered four ways:
1. As he is free Lord of all, and so his decrees are just, Rom. 9. 13. 14.
2. As he is God of all, and so the common works of preserving both the good and bad are just, 1 Tim. 4. 14. Mat. 5. 45.
3. As a Father in Christ, and so he is just in performing his promises, and infusing his grace, and in bestowing the justice of his Son, 1 Iohn 1. 5.
4. As Judge of all the world, and so his justice is not onelyonly distributive, but corrective.
His Justice is,
1. Impartial; he will not spare,
1. Multitude, all S…dome and Gomorrha, and the old World perished.
2. Great ones, the excellency or greatnesse of any creature will not exempt it from punishment; the Angels and Adam fell, he spared not the Angels, but threw them into hell. Adam was cast out of Paradise for one sinne.
3. Neernesse; the Jews, Gods people formerly, are now cast off; Moses and David were punished.
2. General, it extends to a mans posterity; God will visit the iniquity of fathers upon their children.
3. Inexorable, no sinners can escape unpunished; the sins of the godly are punished in their surety Christ, and they are afflicted in this life. God is Justice it self, justice is essential to him, his will is the rule of justice: a thing is just because he willeth it, and not he willeth it because its just. He will right the wrongs of his children, 2 Thess. 1. 6, 7, 8. He cannot be corrupted nor bribed.
Gods Justice comprehendeth two things under it:
1. Equity, in that he directs men equally, and requites them equally, commanding all and onelyonly good things, such as they in reason ought to do, promising and threatning fit and due recompences of their obedience and disobedience.
2. Truth, whereby he declareth nothing to them but as the thing is; and fidelity, whereby he fulfilleth all that he hath spoken.
The Arminians urge, How can God in Justice command a man by his word, the performance of that which cannot be done by him, without the inward help of the Spirit, and yet in the mean time God denies this inward grace unto him?
God may without blemish to his Justice, command man to perform his duty, although he have now no strength to do it, because once he had strength, and heGod hath not lost his right to command, though we have lost our ability to obey. A drunken servant is not disobliged from service. See Phil. 2. 3. The Apostles often incu…a…e th…, Believe and repent, yet they hold Faith and Repentance to be gifts of God, Dei m…ada…a non sunt m…, sed regula officij, declaratio debiti, & materia precum. Molinus contra Amyraldum. hath now lost it Precepts and Exhortations ordinarily signifie the approving w…ll of the Commander, and his duty to whom they are propounded, although sometimes the duty rather of the hearer, then the will of the speaker be declared by them. Rescrip. Ames. ad responsum. Grevinch c. 12. Deus jubet aliqua quae non possumus, ut noverimus quid ab illo petere debeamus, Aug. de grat. & lib. arbit. c. 16. Gods Commandments and Exhortations shew what he approves and wills to be done as good, but his promises or threatnings shew what he intendeth effectually to bring to passe. Mr. Pemble of Grace and Faith. Da Domine quod jubes, & jube▪ …uid vis, said Austin. God giveth thee, although thou be unable, a Law to square thy life by for three causes, Ut scias quid acceperis, ut videas quid amiseris, ut intelligas unde repetendum sit quod amiseris.
It reproves such as live in sin, Exod. 34. 17. Psal. 5. 5. Gal. 6. 6. if God be mercifulConsectaries from Gods Justice. that he may be feared, much more is he just that he may be feared. 2. We must take heed of justifying the wicked; we should be just in our actions to man, in buying and selling, in rewarding and punishing, Magistrates, Ministers, Masters, Parents should be just. We should not murmure at Gods disposing justice in2 Chron. 2. 5. Nehem. 9. 33. Psall. 119. 137. Dan. 9. 7. Rom. 3. 26. making us poor, and should yield to his directing justice, obeying his Commandments seem they never so unreasonable. Mauritius the Emperor, when his wife and children were murthered before him, and his own eyes after bored out, uttered this speech, Iustus es, Domine, & recta judicia tua. We should get Christs righteousnesse to satisfie Gods Justice for us, and to justifie us.
The consideration of Gods Justice, should afright us from hypocrisie, sinning in secret, keeping bosom sins. It ministers comfort to the godly, who are wronged by the wicked, they shall have an upright and just Judge, who will uphold them in a good cause, Psal. 33. 24.
It may serve to exhort us to glorifie Gods Justice, both in fulfilling of his promises, and punishing wicked men, Psal. 7. 18. and 51. 15.Rev. 19. 1.
4. God is True.
Truth or veracity is, by which God is true as in himself, so in his sayings andJohn 14. 6. God is aeterna veritas & vera aeternitas. If God (said one) were to be corporeal, he would have light for his body, and truth for his soul. Truth is originally from God, the first Idea, Rule or Standard of truth, is Gods will, which is veritas Dei. whereby he is what he is, essentially, simply, immutably, by which he wills all things to be what indeed they are, and knows them to be such as they are most certainly. Veritas rei, entitatis, whereby things are such as God would have them to be, and so are true and good. Magna vis est veritatis, quae cum per se intelligi non possit, per ca tamen ipsa quae ei adversantur elucent: ut in natura sua immobilis manens, firmitatem naturae suae quotidie dum attentatur acquirat. Hoc enim ecelesiae proprium est, ut tum vincat, cum laeditur, tum intelligat cùm arguitur, tum obtineat cum deseritur. Hildrius l. 1. de Trinitate. deeds. He revealeth himself to his creature such a one as indeed he is.
Real truth, or the truth of things, is a property of them by which they are the same indeed which they seem. It is an agreement betwixt the being and appearance of things▪ it is double, 1. Essential, or of the very substance of things. 2. Accidental, of the qualities and actions of things; and this, as it is referred to the reasonable creature (for such truth can be no where but in it) is inward and outward according as the actions are.
Inward truth of understanding, is an agreement betwixt its conceit of things, and the things themselves, contrary whereto is error, or misjudging, and of the will contrary to hypocrisie and dissimulation.
Outward, 1. Of word, which is Logical, when I speak as the thing is; Moral, when I speak as I conceive the thing to be; and also in the matter of promises, when I mean as I say, and hold still that meaning till I have actually made good my words.
2. Of deeds, when they are such in the intention and meaning of my minde, as in the outward pretence, and are agreeable to the promises I have made.
God is true in all these respects:
1. His Essence is real and true, he is a God indeed, not in imagination alone; the Scripture calls God the true God, To know thee, saith our Saviour Christ, the onelyonly true God, and whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ. He is the true God, not a bare conceit of our own head or siction: He hath not an imaginary and counterfeit, butAn Idol is nothing in the world. a very real being; he is indeed such he saith he is; for that which gives being to other things, must needs it self be in very deed. The other supposed gods alone in name and in fancy of the worshippers, but he is.
2. He hath a true, not an erroneous conceit of things, he knows all things most exactly, he is indeed a willer of true goodnesse.
3. He speaks nothing but as the thing is, and as he doth conceive it; he means what he promiseth, and doth what he means, the Lord dissembleth not with men;Matth. 24. 35. John 17. 17. Which truth of God in his promises may be referred to justice, because it is just to perform what thou hast promised. 2 Tim. 4. 8. he is true in his word, and his whole word, whether Narrations, Promises, Threats, Visions, or Predictions: He is abundant in truth, Exod. 34. 6. what he telleth, it is as he telleth it; what he promiseth or threatneth to do, he intendeth, and will perform, Psalm 89. 33, 34, Deut. 7. 9. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Promissa tua sunt; & quis falli timeat, cum promittit veritas? Aug. Confes. l. 12. c. 1.
4. God is true in his works, they are not done counterfeitly, as those of the Devil, but truly, Psal. 145. 17. Rev. 15. 3.
The Scripture proves the truth of God, 1. Essentially, when it affirms God to be true in his works, Deut. 32. 4. Psal. 25. 10. Rev. 15. 3. & 16. 7. 2. In his words, which is proved both affirmatively, Iohn 17. 17. 2 Sam. 7. 28. and negatively, Num. 23, 19. 1 Sam. 15. 29. Heb. 6. 18.
Reason 1. All lying and falshood ariseth from weaknesse *If I speak falshood out of error and mistake, I am weak; if wilfully, I am wicked: if I keep not promise, it is either because I cannot, and then I am weak; or will not, then I am wicked; therefore God cannot possibly lye, 1 Kings 22. 23. Ezek. 14, 9.and imperfection, or wickednesse, neither of which is in God, seeing to be God is to be perfect and absolute. He is the Lord God of truth, Psal. 34. 5. his Son is truth, Iohn 14. 6. his holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, Iohn 17. 6. the Gospel is the word of truth, Col. 1. 5. God is the chief and first truth, the Author of truth, truth is in him essentially and immutably, Psal. 100. 5. onelyonly true, Rom. 3. 4. This distinguisheth him from false gods, 2 Chron. 15. 3. Iohn 17. 3. God is worthy to be trusted, honored, and esteemed, ergo most true. Where it is said, God seduced the Prophets, it is not so understood, as if God inspired a false prophecy and an error; but that he delivered them to the devil to be seduced.
1. It serves to reprove the wicked, who believe not threats; and the weak Christians,Consectaries from Gods truth. who in temptations and desertions doubt of promises.
2. It exhorts us to desire the manifesting of this truth, Psal. 43. 3. we should be true like God. Zach. 8. 16. in our words and deeds, keep our vows with God, andEphes. 4. 25. promises with men. God loves truth, as in himself, so in his creatures, but abhors dissimulation and hypocrisie, Prov. 12. 22.
The true Church is the pillar of truth, Gods word the word of truth, Psal. 19 9. We should therefore believe Gods word, and depend upon his promise, seem it never so unlikely or impossible, give him the glory of his truth; He that believeth, Heb. 10. 23.setteth to his seal that God is true, he that believeth not, maketh God a lyer. Will you receive the testimony of men? and will you not much more receiveWe should observe how Gods truth is fulfilled, Gen. 32. 10. Luke 1. 70. 1. This heightens gratitude, Psal. 108. 4. & 56. 10. 2. It strengthens faith, Psal 18. 30. & 116. 1, 2. For this end, 1. We should get an interest in Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 20. the promises are the Churches dowry, as she is Christs Spouse. 2. Observe all providences, and compare them with promises, Col. 4. 2. especially observe the fulfilling the promises, 1. When God makes good the letter of them, Iosh. 23. 19. 1 Kings 8. 56. 2. When you have pleaded them in prayer, Psal. 119. 49. & 34. 6. the testimony of God? He that believeth Gods promises, will surely do the things to which the Lord by promises encourageth him: He that believes the threats, will forbear the thing which God by his threats seek to deter him from.
This is matter of solid comfort for all the true children of God; if he be faithful, they must be happy.
Truth is that vertue of the will by which it is moved to goodnesse for Gods sake, when the thing moving us to be good, is Gods Commandment, and the end whereat we aim is the glorifying and pleasing of God, then we serve God in truth.
5. God is Faithful, Rev. 19. 11.
First, In himself, by an uncreated faithfulnesse.
Secondly, In his Decrees, Isa, 14. 24, 27.
Thirdly, In all his ways and works, Psal. 145. 17.
1. Of Creation, 1 Pet. 4. ult.
2. Of Redemption, Heb. 2. 17.
3. Of Justification, Iohn 1. 19.
4. Of Protection and Preservation of his Church, Rev. 19. 11.
Fourthly, In all his words and speeches:
1. His Commandments are the rule of truth and faithfulnesse to us, Psalm 19. 9.
2. His Predictions are all faithfully accomplished many thousand years after, as Christs incarnation in the fulnesse of time, so Gen. 49. 10.
3. His Menaces are most faithful.
4. His Promises, Exod. 12. 41. Heb. 10. 23.
There is a difference between faithfulnesse in the Creator, and in the Creature.
1. This is the ocean and fountain from whence all faithfulnesse and truth in men1 All the saints are heirs of all the promises, yet many of the temporal promises shall not be fulfilled unto them in this life, as the ungodly are heirs of wrath, and subject to the curses, yet they are not all accomplished on them here. God bestows the promises in a kinde of prerogative way. 2. God will exercise the patience of the Saints, in not accomplishing many temporal promises. Patience is shewed in waiting as well as in suffering. 3. Those to whom God denies temporal promises in this life, he will make them amends to all eternity, they shall be gainers, not onelyonly by their services and sufferings, but deprivements. and Angels issue.
2. This is the rule and measure of that, and the nearer it comes to this, the more compleat it is.
3. It is unchangeable in him; the Angels that fell were faithful, but soon changed, so Adam.
4. It is in God in most high perfection.
Reasons.
1. Because of his most just and righteous nature, whose most righteous will is the rule of all his ways, Psal. 145. 17.
2. He is most perfect and unchangeable in perfection.
3. Because of his most pure and holy affection.
4. There is no imperfection in him to hinder his faithfulnesse.
Gods faithfulnesse is the ground of all true Religion.
1. We must ground all the Doctrine of faith, all the Articles of faith, all our judgement and opinion in matters of faith upon this faithfulnesse of God, and this by holding fast all the faithful word, Titus 1. 9. Rom. 3. 4.
2. All our obedience of faith must be grounded on this, Iohn 3. 33. Heb. 11. 11. & 10. 23, Zeph. 3. 5. Heb. 6. 30.
3. All our prayers of faith must be grounded on Gods faithfulnesse, Dan. 9. 16. 1 Iohn 1. 9. 1 Pet. 4 19. Psal. 1. 5.
4. All sound profession of faith must be grounded on this, Genes. 17. 1. Psal. 91. 4.
5. All true perseverance in the faith, 1 Cor. 1. 8. & 10, 13.
We must be faithful:
1. To God, by being faithful in his Covenant, as the Psalmist speaketh.Consectaries from Gods faithfulnesse.
2. To men for Gods sake in our several places, in friendship as David and Ionathan.
Moses and Christ were faithful, the Apostle saith, In Stewards it is required thatHeb. 2. 15. & 3. 5. they be found faithful, 1 Cor. 4 1. Titus 2. 10. 1 Cor. 4. 10. Ephes. 6. 21. Col. 4. 7, 9. 1 Sam. 3. 20. 2 Sam. 2. 35. Nehem. 13. 13. 1 Tim 3. 11. Faithfulnesse is required and commended in all sorts of men.
Reasons:
The welfare and prosperity of all estates dependeth upon mans fidelity and faithfulnesse, it will be impossible for any good to be done amongst men, if each in his person and place be not faithful; this therefore is required of all men.
Faithfulnesse is that vertue by which a man is careful to perform constantly andWhat faithfulnesse is. in truth all those duties to which either his place or promise, or both, do binde him. Or, it is that vertue by which a man is as good as his word, when one doth speak good, and is in deed as good as in speech, this is faithfulnesse. It hath two parts: 1. The agreement of his meaning with his words at the time that he speaketh, when he purposeth to do according as he speaketh. 2. The agreement of his actions with his words and meaning, when he continues constant in his purpose till he have done what in him lies to effect it; as it is said of Boaz, that when he had said the thing, he would not be quiet until he had brought it to passe. A promise is the proper subject of faithfulnesse, in the well making and well keeping of that standeth fidelity.