Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/d_000.lzh/D_076.TXT

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76                           OF THE JUSTICE OR RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.                                                          Book L

made righteous, as Osiander dreatned; for though he
who is Jehovah is their righteousness, yet not as he is
Jehovah; for then they would be deified by him: the
righteousness of God being his nature, is infinite and
mutable; the righteousness of angels and men, in which
they were created, was mutable; Adam lost his, and
many of the angels lost theirs; but the righteousness of
God is like the great mountains, as high, firm, and stable
as they, and much more so, Psalm xxxvi. 6. Righteous-
ness in creatures, is according to some law, which is the
rule of it, and to which it is conformed, and is adequate
so the law of God, which is holy, just, and true, is a rule
of righteousness to men; but God has no law without
himself, he is a law to himself; his nature and will
the law and rule of righteousness to him. Some things
are just, because he wills them, as such that are of a
posture kind; and others he wills them because .they are
just, being agreeable to his nature and moral perfections.
This is an attribute common to the three Persons in the
Godhead, as it must be, since it is essential to Deity, and
they partake of the same undivided nature and essence:
hence the Father of Christ is called by him' righteous
.Father, John xvii. 25. and Christ, his Son; is tallied Jesus
Christ the righteous, 1 John ii. 1. and no doubt can be
made of its being proper to the holy Spirit, who convinces
men of. righteousness and of judgment, John xvi. 8. But,
Second/y, I shall next consider the various sorts, or
branches of righteousness, which belong to God; for
though it is but one in him, being his nature and essence;
yet it may be considered as diversified, and as admitting
of distinctions, with respect to creatures. Some distin-
guish it into righteousness of words, and righteousness
of deeds. Righteousness of words lies in the fulfilment
of his words, sayings, prophecies, and promises; and is
no other than his veracity, truth, and faithfulness; which
will be considered hereafter, as a distinct attribute.
Righteousness of deeds, is either the rectitude, purity,
and holiness of his.nature; which appears in all his works
and actions, and which has been treated of in the pre-
ceding chapter; or it is a giving that which belongs to
himself, and to his creatures, what is each their due. So
justice is defined by Cicero {1}, an affection of the mind,
Saum cuique tribuens; giving to every one his own.
Thus God gives or takes to himself what is his due; or
does himself' justice, by making and doing all things for
his own glory; and by not giving his glory to another,
nor his praise to graven images: and he gives to his
creatures what is due to them by the laws of creation,
and governs them in justice and equity, and disposes of
them and dispenses to them, in the' same manner. Jus-
tice, among men, is sometimes distinguished into com-
mutative and retributive. Commutative justice lies in
covenants, compacts, agreements, commerce, and dealings
with one another, in which one gives an equivalent in
money or goods, for what he receives of another; and
when integrity and uprightness are preserved, this is jus-
tice. But such sort of justice cannot have place between
God and men; what he gives, and they receive from him,
is of free favour and good will; and what they give to
him, or he receives from them, is no equivalent for what
they have from him; 14/hat shall I render to the Lord

1 De Finibus,. I. 5.

for all his benefits towards me ? Psalm cxvi. l2. nothing
that is answerable to them. Besides, God has a prior
right to every thing a creature has or can give; Who hath
first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him
again ? Rom. xi. 35. Retributive justice is a distribution
either of rewards or punishments; the one may be called
remunerative justice, the other ptmitive justice; and both
may be observed in God.
1. Remunerative justice, or a distribution of rewards;
the rule of which is not the merits of men, but his own
gracions promise; for he first, of his own grace and good
will, makes promises, and then he is just and righteous
in fulfilling them; for God, as Austin {2} expresses it,
" makes himself a debtor, not by receiving any thing from
us, but hy promising such and such things to us." And
his .justice lies in fulfilling his promises made to such and
such persons, doing such and such things; and not in
rewarding any supposed merits of theirs. Thus, for in-
stance, The man that endures temptation shall receive the
crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that
love him, James i. 12. but the crown of life is not given
according to any merit of it arising from enduring temp-
tation, or loving the Lord; but in consequence of the
promise of God graciously made to such persons, for
their encouragement thereunto. Moreover, the reward
·
is nbt of debt, but of grace; or God, in the distribution
of rewards to men, rewards not their'works, but his own
grace; he first gives grace, and then rewards that grace
with glory; called, the reward oJ' the inheritance, Col.
iii. 24. And this seems to be no other than the insepara-
ble connection between grace and glory, adopting grace,
and the heavenly inheritance; which, he having of his
own grace put, does in .justice inviolably maintain. In-
deed, the remunerative justice of God is someti,nes re-
presented in scripture, as rendering to every man accord-
ing to his deeds, or as his work shall be, Rdm. ii. 5, 0,
7, 10. Rev. xxii. l2. But still it is to be observed, that
the reward given or rendered, is owing, to the promise
that is made to them for godliness, whether as a principle
of grace, or as practiscd under the influence of grace;
or godly persons have the promise of the life that now is,
and of that which is to come, 1 Tim. iv. 8. which promise.
is punctually and rightcously performed. Besides, God
does not reward the works and godly actions of men, as
meritorious in thcmsclves; but as they are thc fruits of
his own grace; who works in them both to will andto
do 'of his own pleasarc; and therefore he is not unright-
eotts to forget their work and labour of love; which
springs from love, is done in faith, and wi-th a view to his
glory, Hcb. vi. 10. Moreover, the works according to
which God renders eternal life, arc not mens' own per-
sonal works; between which, and eternal life, there is
no proportion; but the works of righteousness done by
Christ, of which his obedience and righteousness consist;
and which being done by him, on their account, as their
Head and Representative, are reckoned to them; and,
according to these, the crown of righteousness is given
them by the Lord, as a righteous Judge, in a way of
righteousness, 2 Tim. iv. 8.
e. Punitive, or vindictive justice, belongs to God; It
is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to

2 F~narrat. in Psalm ci;~. tom. 8.. p. 5~1.