And, on the other hand, as this is a reward of grace, founded on Christ’s purchase, let us take heed that we do not ascribe that to our performances, which is wholly founded on Christ’s merit. Let every thing that may be reckoned a spur to diligence, in the idea of a reward, be apprehended and improved by us, to quicken and excite us to duty; but whatever there is of praise and glory therein, let that be ascribed to Christ; so that when we consider the heavenly blessedness in this view, let us say, as the angels, together with that blessed company who are joined with them, are represented, speaking, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing, Rev. v. 12. It is the price that he paid which gives it the character of a reward and therefore the glory of it is to be ascribed to him.
2. From what has been said concerning the vindictive justice of God inflicting punishments on his enemies, let us learn the evil and heinous nature of sin, and so take warning thereby, that we may not expose ourselves to the same or like judgments. How deplorable is the condition of those, who have contracted a debt for which they can never satisfy! who are said, to drink of the wrath of the Almighty, which is poured out, without mixture, into the cup of his indignation, Job xxi. 20. compared with Rev. xiv. 10. This should induce us to fly from the wrath to come, and to make a right improvement of the price of redemption which was given by Christ, to deliver his people from it.
3. Believers, who are delivered from the vindictive justice of God, have the highest reason for thankfulness; and it is a very great encouragement to them, under all the afflictive evils, which they endure, that the most bitter ingredients are taken out of them. It is true, they are not in themselves joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterwards they yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them, who are exercised thereby, Heb. xii. 11. and let us not presume without ground, but give diligence, that we may conclude that these are the dispensations of a reconciled Father, who corrects with judgment not in anger, lest he should bring us to nothing, Jer. x. 24. It will afford great matter of comfort, if we can say, that he is, at the same time, a just God, and a Saviour, Isa. xlv. 21. and, as one observes, though he punishes for sin, yet it is not with the punishment of sin.
XIV. God is most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness, all which perfections are mentioned together in Exod. xxxiv. 7. and we shall first consider his goodness, which, in some respects, includes the other, though in others it is distinguished from them, as will be more particularly observed. This being one of his communicable perfections, we may conceive of it, by comparing it with that goodness which is in the creature, while we separate from it all the imperfections thereof, by which means we may arrive to some idea of it.
Therefore persons are denominated good, as having all those perfections that belong to their nature, which is the most large and extensive sense of goodness; or else it is taken in a moral sense, and so it consists in the rectitude of their nature, as we call a holy man a good man; or lastly, it is taken for one who is beneficent, or communicatively good, and so it is the same with benignity. Now to apply this to the goodness of God, it either includes in it all his perfections, or his holiness in particular, or else his being disposed to impart or communicate those blessings to his creatures, that they stand in need of, in which sense we are here to understand it as distinguished from his other perfections.
This goodness of God supposes that he has, in himself, an infinite and inexhaustible treasure of all blessedness, enough to fill all things, and to make his creatures completely happy. This he had from all eternity, before there was any object in which it might be displayed, or any act of power put forth to produce one. It is this the Psalmist intends, when he says, Psal. cxix. 68. Thou art good, and when he adds, thou doest good; as the former implies his being good in himself, the latter denotes his being so to his creatures.
Before we treat of this perfection in particular, we shall observe the difference that there is between goodness, mercy, grace, and patience, which, though they all are included in the divine benignity, and imply in them the communication of some favours that tend to the creatures advantage, as well as the glory of God, yet they may be distinguished with respect to the objects thereof: thus goodness considers its object, as indigent and destitute of all things, and so it communicates those blessings that it stands in need of. Mercy considers its object as miserable, therefore, though an innocent creature be the object of the divine bounty and goodness, it is only a fallen, miserable, and undone creature, that is an object of compassion. And grace is mercy displayed freely, therefore its object is considered not only as miserable, but unworthy; however, though the sinner’s misery, and worthiness of pity, may be distinguished, these two ideas cannot be separated, inasmuch as that which renders him miserable, denominates him at the same time guilty, since misery is inseparably connected with guilt, and no one is miserable as a creature, but as a sinner; therefore we are considered as unworthy of mercy, and so the objects of divine grace, which is mercy extended freely, to those who have rendered themselves unworthy of it. And patience, or long-suffering, is the suspending deserved fury, or the continuing to bestow undeserved favours, a lengthening out of our tranquillity; these attributes are to be considered in particular. And,
1. Of the goodness of God. As God was infinite in power from all eternity, before there was any display thereof, or act of omnipotency put forth; he was eternally good, before there was any communication of his bounty, or any creature, to which it might be imparted; so that the first display of this perfection was in giving being to all things, which were the objects of his bounty and goodness, as well as the effects of his power; and all the excellencies, or advantages, which one creature hath above another, are as so many streams flowing from this fountain, He giveth to all, life and breath, and all things, Acts xvii. 25.[[62]]
2. The mercy of God, which considers its object as miserable, is illustrated by all those distressing circumstances, that render sinners the objects of compassion. Are all, by nature, bond-slaves to sin and Satan? It is mercy that sets them free, delivers them, who, through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage, Heb. ii. 15. Are we all, by nature, dead in sin, unable to do what is spiritually good, alienated from the life of God? Was our condition miserable, as being without God in the world, and without hope: like the poor infant, mentioned by the prophet, cast out in the open field, to the loathing of our persons, whom no eye pitied? it was mercy that said to us, live, Ezek. xvi. 4, 5, 6. accordingly God is said to have remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever, Psal. cxxxvi. 23.
The mercy of God is either common or special; common mercy gives all the outward conveniencies of this life, which are bestowed without distinction; as he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust, Matth. v. 45. so it is said, his tender mercies are over all his works, Psal. cxlv. 9. but his special mercy is that which he bestows on, or has reserved for the heirs of salvation, which he communicates to them in a covenant way, in and through a Mediator; so the apostle speaks of God, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. i. 3.