Falling into the Hands of the Living God!

Part 6

Matthew Mead, 1629-1699
 

"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" Hebrews 10:31

I have showed you:
that it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God;
and to whom it is so.

Now I am giving you the reasons of this truth, why it is so fearful a thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The reason I am on is with respect to those attributes of God, which make it so fearful. There are three attributes more especially which the sinner shall then have to deal with, which will make his condition very dreadful.

(1). One is the Omniscience of God. You will have to deal with a God who knows all your doings, so the Apostle says, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account!" Hebrews 4:13

(2). Another attribute is his Omnipotence. The sinner falls into the hands of such a God as is omnipotent. He is mighty in power, "See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand!" (Deuteronomy 32:39).

(3). Another attribute of God, which renders the sinner's case so fearful is, his JUSTICE. He is a just God. And this is that which makes the others so dreadful! What is his omniscience—if he is not powerful? What is his power—if he is not just? Power without justice may be unrighteously dispensed, and abused by clearing the guilty, and condemning the innocent. Solomon speaks of this as an evil under the sun: "Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter." Ecclesiastes 4:1

Power without justice, degenerates into tyranny. Authority unrighteously managed, is but wickedness established by a law, and this is what the preacher then saw. "And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there; in the place of justice—wickedness was there." Ecclesiastes 3:16. Judgment was perverted, the guilty were acquitted, and the innocent were condemned.

And what shall the people do in such a case as this? Why, even as the wise man did, refer all to the judgment of God, who will set all to rights when his time to judge is come; (in the 17th verse). "I thought in my heart: God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed." Men in their day may make unrighteous decrees, and pass unjust sentences, and so turn judgment into wormwood. But there is a time coming in which God will judge righteous judgment, for there is no unrighteousness in him. Psalm 92:15, "He is the just Lord, and he will not do iniquity." Now here I shall speak to three things:

I. What this justice of God is.

II. Evidence the truth of this attribute, that God is a just God.

III. Show you what a terrifying thing it is for a sinner to have to deal with the justice of God, and why it is so.
 

I. What this justice of God is. Justice in God is either essential or relative. Essential justice is such a property of God's nature as that he can do no wrong. Relative justice is so called with respect to the creature, and is God's constant will of rendering to man what is his due, and that will is the rule of righteousness.

Essential justice is in God necessarily.

Relative justice is in God an act of his good pleasure, where his proceedings with man flow according to the law of righteousness, freely constituted between him and them. Relative justice supposes something due from God to man in a way of debt, so as if he should not perform it, then he would not be just. That which obliges God, if it is in a way of reward—is called merit. If it is in a way of punishment is called demerit, though the word merit is often used for the one and the other.

Merit is either absolute or in a way of free covenant. God cannot be a debtor to the creature in a way of absolute merit, but he has made himself by way of covenant. Merit by way of covenant, notes such an obedience in man, where God by his free promise has made himself a debtor according to the order of justice. Demerit notes such a disobedience where the punishment of death is due according to the order of justice. Merit or demerit is a just debt, whether in a way of reward or punishment. If man had continued in a way of perfect obedience—then God could not but have given him life in a way of justice, because of the promise of the covenant. Therefore man having sinned, the demerit of sin being death according to the terms of the covenant. God cannot but inflict death according to his relative justice, which is the rule of his procedure with man.

If the elect of God die in their own person, the gospel is void. If man does not die, the law is void. Therefore the elect die in the man Christ Jesus, who satisfied justice as their surety. Unbelieving sinners having no surety to satisfy justice, must die themselves. Though God by his absolute power might have saved man without a surety—yet having fixed the inviolable rule of relative justice, "In the day you eat thereof, you shall surely die," he could not avoid proceeding by this rule, therefore man must either die in himself, or in his surety. The just God will take the demerit of sin. God allows multitudes of lost sinners to be pardoned—but not one sin to go unpunished!

This relative justice of God is distinguished into two parts. It is either commutative or distributive.

Distributive justice is that by which God renders to every man according to his works. And this justice is either remunerative, by which God rewards the faithful obedience, and sincere services of believers with glory and blessedness, according to the terms of the covenant of grace.

Or vindictive justice, where he rewards sin with the punishment due to it according to the Law. You have them both together set out by the Apostle in Romans 2:7-8, "To those who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality—eternal life." There is his remunerative justice. "But to those who do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—to them he will render indignation and wrath." This is his vindictive justice. And this is that justice we are now to speak to. So, you have in short what the justice of God is.
 

II. Let me be clear on this, that God is a just God in the sense I have spoken.

We see this from the testimony of scripture, which everywhere declares him to be a just and righteous God. Deuteronomy 32:4, "All his ways are judgment, a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." "Clouds and darkness are round about him, but righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." (Psalm 97:2). "There is no God besides me, a just God." (Isaiah 45:21).

The speech of Bildad in Job is full of emphasis, "Does God pervert judgment? or does the Almighty pervert justice?" Man may and often does pervert judgment and justice, but does God do so? The question carries in it the force of a strong negation. The Almighty does not pervert justice or judgment. Nothing can force him to it.

There are three things that usually cause men to pervert justice:
a fear of greatness, or
a hope of reward, or
affection or nearness of relation.

(1). A fear of greatness. The greatness of some sets them out of the reach of justice, as in the case of Zeruiah's sons, "they are too hard for me!" David says. Some are so great, that men are afraid to deal with them. But no fear can invade the throne of God, for he is Almighty, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.

(2). Hope of reward. The prophet speaks of some rulers who are more pleased with receiving bribes, than in doing right. Such a one was Felix, (Acts 24:26). But God is above all bribes and gifts. He who gives to all, does not need to receive from any, therefore he tells them in Ezekiel 7:19, "Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord!" Solomon says the same in Proverbs 6:4, "Riches profit not in the day of wrath!" It may profit in the day of man's wrath, but not in the day of God's wrath.

(3). Relation and affection. These often among men pervert justice, but not with God. "Though he be as the signet upon my right hand—yet will I pluck him thence."

God commands justice and righteousness among men in all their actions. It is one part of the Decalogue. All the commands of the second table are to enjoin righteousness between man and man. "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God," (Micah 6:8).

In the acts of commutative justice, see how strict God is in the common business of buying and selling. You that are traders and business men read these scriptures: "Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. You must have accurate and honest weights and measures . . . For the LORD your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly." Deuteronomy 25:13-16. The Apostle points us to the same thing, 1 Thessalonians 4:6, "Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter, for the Lord is the avenger of all such."

Now he who requires man to be thus just—shall not he be just? "Shall mortal man be more just than God?" (Job 4:17). It is a great and undeniable proof of the justice of God, that he forbids all injustice in men.

Another evidence that God is a just God, is that justice and righteousness are the very essence of God.

In man justice is a quality or property. Though they are excellent—yet they are but qualities, and qualities may be separated from the essence. A man may be a man, and yet neither just nor righteous. But God cannot be God, if he is unjust. It is not a quality in God, but his very nature and essence. Deny the justice of God, and you deny his being. Justice can no more be separated from him, than he can be separated from himself. If he is not just—then he is not God.

All his attributes are one in God, because they are all one God. They are distinguished for our conceptions—but are not divided from his being. Therefore, all his attributes being his essence, must be one, or else the being of God must be a divided being, which is blasphemy. Though the attributes of God are distinguished in regard of their objects and effects—yet they are all one in themselves.

To make it plain to you by a familiar instance, as when the beams of the sun shine through a green glass, the beams are green, when through a red glass the beams seem red, and yet all the while the sun's beams are the same. So when the sun shines on clay it hardens it, and when it shines upon wax it softens it. Or when it shines on sweet flowers, it draws out the fragrant smell;; and when it shines on a dunghill it draws out its stench—and yet the sun's beams are still the same. The difference is in the objects and effects.

So it is in God, when he acts towards the wicked in punishment, he is righteous—and when he acts in mercy to his people in saving them, he is merciful.

(4). The very punishing justice of God, is his goodness—the same goodness in God, as showing mercy is. This is evident from that description that he gives of himself, Exodus 33:19, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you," and what is his name. He tells you, Exodus. 34:6-7, "And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."—and yet this is his goodness.

It is a property of goodness, to hate evil; and therefore it is a property of goodness, to punish evil. His goodness shines in his very justice, for if he were not just—then he could not be good. What prince could be good, if he did not by the hand of justice cut off those who disturb the state? Cutting off of a gangrened member, tends to the preservation of all the rest, and therefore it is good. The goodness of every being lies in observing the order that God placed it in. Now sin is a moral distemper, therefore there is a goodness in its punishment. For,

(1). If it is an act of goodness in God, to make laws and enforce those laws with threatenings—then it cannot but be goodness to enforce those laws. The great design of the law and penalty, is to promote goodness and virtue, to restrain sin and evil. Therefore, if there is a goodness in making them, then the executing of them is a branch of the same goodness that made them. The Holy Spirit tells us of the Law of God, (and the world is to be governed by that law) that it is "holy, just, and good," (Romans 7:1-2). By necessity it must be, for the law is an image of the righteousness and holiness of God, and designed to hold the creature in a state of subjection to God and dependence on him. Now this dependence on God could not be preserved without a law, nor could the honor of the law be preserved without penalties, nor could penalties signify anything without execution.

(2). It would argue a great defect in the goodness of God if he should not execute acts of justice against lost sinners. All his attributes which are part of his goodness, engage him to punish sin. Without it,
his power would be vilified,
his holiness would be stained,
his truth would be disgraced,
his wisdom would be slighted,
and his grace would be scorned!

All his attributes engage him to this. Therefore, when men turn the grace of God into wantonness—it is but just that God should turn his mercy into judgment. Justice and judgment are that which supports the throne of God. Psalm 89:14, "Justice and judgment are the habitation of your throne." The Hebrew word signifies the basis or pillar which the throne of God stands on.

(3). The very threatenings of God, though they carry in them an aspect of severe justice—yet they proceed originally from goodness; and it appears in this—that the punishment is not the primary design of the threatening. God threatens evil to prevent the committing of it. God threatens sin that we may not sin, and that he may not execute his wrath on us for sin.

The intention of God in making the promise and threatening are very contrary.

The intention of God in making the promise, is the fulfilling of it.

His intention in making the threatening, is to prevent the fulfilling it.

He promises that he may be a rewarder.

He threatens, that he may not be a revenger.

Among men, the supreme power makes a law that treason shall be punished with death. Now the first intention of the law is not to punish the traitor, but to prevent the treason, so that though justice executes the threatening—yet goodness makes it, and this confirms that of the prophet, (Ezekiel 33:11). "That God has no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but that he returns from his wicked ways and live." The penalty is not put into the law to punish—but to prevent the breaking of the law. God threatens damnation to the unbeliever, but the design of the threatening is not to damn, but to drive men from unbelief.

(4). The justice of God in punishing is somewhat of a forced thing—he does not exercise acts of vindictive justice but on cogent grounds. He has no mind to punish. Why does he forbid sin, but to prevent all occasions of severity against his creatures? God takes all occasions of mercy, as to prevent all occasions of injustice. Christ and the gospel were given for that end, to bring men to God, that justice might be turned into mercy. O! the goodness of God! Mercy is his darling attribute. The most noble spirits among men are always the most gentle and merciful, but the basest minds you will always find are most severe and cruel. God owns mercy as the genuine offspring of his own affections, and therefore he is called the father of mercy, but where is he called the father of fury and justice? No, he says, "fury is not in me," (Isaiah 25:21). He calls acts of judgment and wrath, "his strange work," (Lamentations 3:33). "He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men."

You find a conflict (Hosea 11:8) between justice and mercy in God. "Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah, or demolish you like Zeboiim?" and mercy gets the upper hand. "My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel!" O! how God rejoices in the victory! Mercy rejoices over judgment.

(5). There is a goodness in the actual execution of justice. Psalm 119:39, "Your judgments are good." The present execution of judgment upon the wicked is of great use in the following:

1. To keep up a solemn sense of God in this world. Man would soon forget God, if he did not sometimes make himself known by the judgments he executes. Psalm 9:16 with Ezekiel 8:12, "They say, the Lord sees us not, the Lord has forsaken the earth." No, men would be apt to turn into downright atheists, and say there is no God, and so religion would utterly expire in the world. It is good therefore that God sometimes executes justice on men in this world.

2. He does it to restrain the many excesses which impunity would give great occasion to. Such is the vileness of the heart of man, that were it not for some fearful awe of God on him, men would sin themselves into Hell! Nothing can make men more daring in sin, than the present forbearance of God. Psalm 50:21, "These things have you done, and I kept silence," and what then? "you thought I was altogether such a one as yourself;" and, because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed, therefore, "the heart of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil."

3. God does it to be a warning to others—as a deterrent. He punishes some severely—to terrify others by their example, as by our laws notorious villains are hung up in chains, that others may by it be terrified from doing the same villainy. The judgments of God in one age, are to give warning to many ages to come.

Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt, and that pillar stands in the word of God to this day, to warn us against apostatizing from religion, "remember Lot's wife." God has set her up for a pillar to make all the world take heed of sinning against God.

The censers of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, were to be worked into a plate and made a covering to the altar, there to abide for a memento to others, not to invade the priest's office without a warrant and call from God.

4. Acts of Divine justice on lost sinners are with a design of good to his own people. The overthrow of Pharaoh and his host, was to complete the deliverance of his people from him. God often cuts off his enemies, to make way for the deliverance of his people.

5. The execution of justice many times proves the occasion of a sinner's conversion. Many are taught the fear of God, by the rod of God, "When the judgments of God are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants shall learn righteousness." By this means, many times hard hearts have been subdued, and unruly ones have been brought to take up the yoke of Christ. So that these things considered, there is goodness even in the punishing justice of God.

Let me now bring this to the case in hand, to show you what a terrible thing it is for a sinner to have to deal with the justice of God.

Justice must be satisfied, for sin has invaded God's right, violated his law, slighted his authority, broken the order of his government, and hereby the justice of God is provoked, and must have satisfaction. God having constituted his law, which is the rule of justice between himself and man—it is impossible that God should dispense with it, so as to give an exemption from punishment in the case of sin. God is the guardian of his own law, and therefore he cannot act the part of a just governor—if he allows it to be broken with impunity.

As he cannot be compassionate, if he does not show mercy to the penitent believer; and as he cannot be true, if he should allow one tittle of his word to fail—so he cannot be holy, if he should countenance sin; so he cannot be just, unless he should punish sin. Guilt binds the soul over to wrath, and justice will by no means clear the guilty. If a man dies under the guilt of sin—he is as sure to perish as God is just. If sin is not pardoned to a man here in this world—it will never be pardoned; and if it is not pardoned, then it must be punished, for it would be unrighteous with God to let sin go unrevenged.

If sin must be punished and justice satisfied—then it must be either by the sinner himself, or by some other in his stead, who is capable of that undertaking. Now the sinner cannot satisfy the justice of God himself, he has nothing to offer God, nor could either men or angels satisfy for him.

(1). Not MAN. He who cannot redeem himself, is less able to redeem another, (Psalm 49:7-8). "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, for the redemption of the soul is precious and it ceases forever." The soul must perish forever—and there is nothing any man can do to redeem it.

(2). Nor could ANGELS satisfy the justice of God for lost sinners. The satisfaction must be made to God in the same nature that sinned. The nature of angels is different from that of the sinner. Besides, the angels are finite creatures, and what can a finite creature do to satisfy the justice of an infinite God? If one sin sank so many angels into Hell—then how can all the angels bear the sins of all the world?

Therefore, there is one and no another—that is, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Son of God is the only fit person for this undertaking. None but he who was God in the nature of man could satisfy for sinning man. He must be man, because man had sinned. He must be God, because none else could satisfy divine justice. The satisfaction could not otherwise be equal to the offense.

Therefore Christ is the God-man. The satisfaction was made in the human nature suffering—and the value of it was from the Divine nature; giving both virtue and value to his suffering. Had not he been man—then he could not have died. Had he not been God—then he could not have made satisfaction. He was man to perform it—and God that he might be sufficient for it.

No man can have the benefit of this satisfaction made to the justice of God for sin by Christ—but in that way that God has appointed. It cannot be had, but on God's terms. Though Christ died and laid down his life, and was a sacrifice to justice, and has fully satisfied the justice of God for sin—yet not one sinner can ever have benefit from the goodness and mercy of God on this score, but upon the terms God has placed our salvation on.

And what are the terms on man's part? The great condition is a penitent believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. "This is the will of him that sent me," Christ says, "that everyone who sees the Son, and believes on him—should not perish, but have everlasting life." By him, whoever believes is justified. So that justification from sin and eternal life are no ways attainable, but by getting a saving interest in the Lord Christ by a saving faith. It is brought to a short issue: "He who believes on the Son, has everlasting life; and he who believes not on the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Wrath fell on man in the first covenant, and by slighting Christ and the grace of the Gospel—it abides on him forever. So that a sinner in the sense of his lost and undone condition by sin, must go out of himself to Christ, and receive him by faith as the Lord his righteousness, and he must apply this righteousness to himself, or he can never have benefit by all Christ did and suffered.

It is not Christ's dying or making himself a sacrifice for sin, which brings the sinner within the reach of pardoning grace and mercy. No! It must be Christ believed on and applied by faith—or you are as far from mercy, as if Christ had never died to satisfy justice.

Here it is, on this, thousands miscarry forever, and destroy their own souls, by an ignorant taking shelter in the mercy of God, because Christ has died. O, they say, Christ has died for sinners, and I am a sinner—therefore I hope in the mercy of God. But let me tell you: God never saved a sinner nor ever will, no he cannot do it, God cannot save a sinner, as such, by the constitution of his own law, by which all lost sinners are forever shut out of Heaven.

Man breaks God's Law, and none but the righteous and holy can enter into the kingdom of God, (1 Corinthians 6:9). "Don't you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived." How many deceive themselves when they say, I am a sinner—and God will have mercy upon me; for Christ has died—and God will have pity on lost sinners. God did not make me to damn me. I tell you, an unrighteous sinner as such can never be saved.

He must be changed, if he is saved—both relatively and really. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." He must be renewed by regenerating grace—or he can never be fit for Heaven. He must be pardoned and justified by the righteousness of Christ—or he can never be freed from wrath and Hell, and have a right to Heaven.

Now the righteousness of Christ justifies no man, but as it is imputed to us by God for righteousness. And God never imputes it to us until we actually apply it to ourselves, and it can never be actually applied to us but by a saving faith. Therefore:

No faith—no Christ.

No Christ—no righteousness.

No righteousness—no justification from sin, and consequently no mercy from God.

Therefore, let me tell you, mercy itself, as great and glorious as it is—cannot save an unbeliever according to the economy of the Gospel. I speak this because I would gladly take people off from their false props. They are exceedingly apt to fly to mercy. I say mercy cannot save an unbeliever—because he is not in Christ; and God will not save one soul outside of Christ. This well considered, would make Christ of more esteem with us, than he is.

We talk of morality, which is a good thing among men—but the misery of this is that men look to be saved by morality. If a man is saved, it must be in one of these ways; either by justice or mercy. If he is saved by justice—then it must be by the covenant of works. If he is saved by mercy—then it must be by the covenant of grace. Now justice cannot save him by the first covenant, without a perfect sinless righteousness of his own—and that no man has or can have of his own. Then men must be saved by mercy. Now mercy cannot save him by the second covenant—because he will not perform its condition. The condition of the covenant of grace that God has made, is, that he shall savingly believe in Christ, and apply the righteousness of Christ to the soul.

Therefore the mere mercy of God cannot save an unbeliever. For,

(1). It is not consistent with the TRUTH of God. God has threatened death for sin—and man has sinned. The truth of God is bound to make good the threatening—either on the sinner or a surety. Now the unbeliever has no surety, no Christ, no interest in the Redeemer. He is under the broken covenant, and there is no surety to that, so he must bear the penalty himself; God has said it and he will be true to his word. No, God has sworn it, Hebrews 3:18, that, "those who believe not, shall never enter into his rest." Now then, if it is so that God has said it, and sworn it—then how can God be a God of truth, and save an unbeliever? Mercy and truth meet together, only in Christ.

(2). It is in no way consistent with the WISDOM of God. You own him to be the wise God, and Christ is the wisdom of God. The highest perfection of his wisdom that ever God revealed to the world, was in giving Christ and sending him to die. Now, if God should save a soul any other way than by faith in Christ—then he would defeat the contrivance of the highest wisdom. What is the need of Christ, if man could be saved by the mercy of God without him? What wisdom was there in sending Christ, if salvation could be had without him?

(3). How can mercy save, where JUSTICE cannot but punish? Justice would be injustice—if God should spare an unbeliever! As the holiness of God cannot but hate sin—so the justice of God cannot but punish it. Indeed, God may and does spare lost sinners for a time, but that is for the revealing and glorifying of his patience, and in honor to the mediation of Christ, for without this, the curse would have taken place the day that sin entered into the world.

But to spare an obstinate sinner forever, would have been an approbation of sin, and God will have all men know he is not an approver of sin. Therefore, God having manifested that he will not pardon sin without a satisfaction, and he will have it punished either in the sinner or surety—it is highly reasonable he should be punished himself who rejects Christ, who offered to save him.

Mercy can no more save one that remains an object of revenging justice, under the first covenant—than justice can condemn one that lays hold on the blood of Christ in the second covenant.

 

III. Show you what a terrifying thing it is for a sinner to have to deal with the justice of God, and why it is so.

Men have strange notions of the mercy of God. I tell you, all the attributes are equally infinite. His justice is as great as his mercy—yet they cannot invade the right of one another. So that it is most plain that mere mercy cannot save an unbeliever. He has by his unbelief, refused the satisfaction of Christ, and has wickedly trod under foot the blood of Christ. He must therefore satisfy the justice of God himself, and so falls into the hands of the living God, and this the text tells you is a terrifying thing and this will appear if you consider:

1. How powerful this justice of God is, into whose hands he falls. It is not like justice in man that often has a short arm and cannot reach. It is powerful justice. It reaches to Heaven, for it can save every believer, and therefore will. It reaches to Hell and can damn every unbeliever, and therefore will. For God is just. What God has promised—shall be performed; and what he has threatened—shall be executed. He will not discourage faith in any by not rewarding it—nor will he encourage unbelief by not punishing it. "The right hand of the Lord is full of righteousness," (Psalm 48:10). His right hand, that is, his power is infinitely just—and his justice is infinitely powerful.

2. Consider the sureness of a judgment day. It is as sure as death! (Hebrews 9:27). No, it is more sure than death, for we shall not all die, but some shall be changed. And when this day comes, then this justice of God shall show itself, for that is the day of wrath, and, "the revelation of the righteous judgment of God," (Romans 2:5).

Now for the present, God defers the execution of his justice on lost sinners. God lets them alone. They blaspheme his name—yet he lets them alone for the present. Why? Not because he approves of sin, or takes no notice of it, or is not highly displeased and provoked by it. No, but it is for two reasons,

1. One reason, is that the sinner may have time to consider and repent and turn to God, Revelation 2:21, "I gave her space to repent," that is the great reason why God does not consume the sinner in the very act of sin, that he may give him time to repent. "Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious," (Isaiah 30:18). God will have mercy offered to every sinner before he is executed. He offers life and salvation by virtue of the blood of Christ, to every soul that will receive it. So that here is an opportunity, a door of hope set open, that the sinner may escape vengeance by fleeing from the wrath to come.

2. Another reason is this: God defers the execution of justice that impenitent stubborn sinners may fill up the measure of their sins. God does not glorify a believer as soon as he has believed in Christ, because they have more work to do for God in the world, they have a measure of grace to fill up, that they may be made prepared for glory. So neither does God cast a sinner into Hell immediately, because they have a measure of sin to fill up, and God gives them time to fill up their measure, and this is the meaning of that saying of Christ to the Jews in Matthew 23:32, "Fill up the measure of your fathers," and then it follows, "How can you escape the damnation of Hell?"

Justice is deferred until the sinner's measure is fully filled—and then the sentence is executed. Know this therefore, you who are yet in your sins, and take boldness in sin because you seem to sin with impunity, because judgment is not immediately executed—know this, that you shall gain nothing by God's forbearance, if it does not lead you to repentance—but a greater vengeance and a hotter Hell! The longer you go on in sin, the greater will the vengeance of God be on you at last. "By your hard and impenitent heart you treasure up wrath to yourself against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God." The longer you sin—the more wrath you treasure up, and the greater God's vengeance will be at last. As sin increases—so will the wrath of God. The slower justice is in the progress—the sharper will it be in the outcome! In the meantime know this—that God will not long bear with lost sinners who are under the gospel call. The greater your means of grace that you sit under are—the shorter time will God afford you to improve them. Where God affords frequent calls to repentance and turning to God, as they do ripen the believer's graces—so do they hasten the sinner's judgment. Therefore, woe to those who sit under the gospel in an unbelieving state.

3. Consider the rule God judges by, and that will make his justice terrible. And what is that rule? It is the gospel. God will judge both you and me by this blessed gospel. We shall be tried by and before the Lord by this gospel; which as it is the best rule to live by—-so it is the worst, the most terrible rule for a sinner to be judged by, because the sentence will be the most terrible that ever God did denounce.

Heathen shall be judged without the law, by moral natural light. They have none of Moses' law, and therefore shall be judged by the light of nature.

The Jews shall be judged by the Law—but those who live under the gospel—shall be judged by the gospel. (Romans 2:16). "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." "This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed!" 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

This, indeed, is a comfortable truth to all believers—that they shall be judged by the gospel. For as the gospel has pronounced pardon and peace to you by Christ, so will Christ himself also in that day. If his gospel acquits you from sin—then God will acquit you, "what it binds on earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and what it looses on earth, shall be loosed in Heaven." If the sentence of the gospel is for you, and speaks peace to you—then God will speak peace in the great day, for God will never alter the sentence of the gospel.

The sentence of God in the Day of Judgment shall be on every soul, according to the sentence the gospel passes on them. He who believes not, is condemned already by the sentence of the gospel. Therefore, God will condemn him at the last day. This is the fearful case of every unbeliever. The gospel condemns him—and God will judge him by the gospel. Would you know how it shall go with you in the last Day of Judgment? I tell you: see that you are believingly interested in the grace of the gospel. As your hearts have been wrought upon by the gospel, so will God deal with you.

Will you believe what Christ says? John 12:48 says, "The word that I have spoken—the same shall judge you at the last day." The word I have spoken, the doctrine I have preached—shall judge you at the last day. God will judge every soul by the gospel.

Unbelieving sinners shall in that day be left to the absolute justice of God. Though man who is made miserable by sin is the object of mercy—yet those who are insensible of sin, who slight his remedy—are not an object of mercy, but of justice. Therefore the Apostle calls it "judgment without mercy." There is no mercy in the day of judgment for unbelieving sinners.

Consider (but this is one thing more) that that satisfaction which justice will exact of every unbeliever, is such a satisfaction as cannot be made by the sinner, by reason of the finiteness of the creature. God will have satisfaction—but the sinner cannot give it. The satisfaction is infinite.

Now a finite creature cannot bear this infinite punishment. Therefore his punishment must be infinite in regard of existing and continuance. Because he cannot satisfy at once (as Christ did,) therefore he must be satisfying forever. Because the sinner cannot bear the wrath of God at once—therefore he must be bearing it forever. The justice of God shall be always satisfying—and yet never satisfied. The debt shall be always paying—yet never paid. "Truly you shall not come out until you have paid the utmost farthing!"—and that is never. He cannot pay it, and therefore must bear the insupportable weight of the wrath of God forever.

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God, because, as He is the all-knowing and Almighty God—so He is the just and righteous God; and will be so forever, for He is the living God. His righteousness and justice are everlasting—and this makes Hell so dreadful.

As it is the great comfort of believers to have such a Mediator and Surety, such a high priest to live forever to make intercession for them—so this is the great misery of lost sinners: to fall into the hands of that God, who ever lives to avenge Himself on their unbelief and rebellion. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God . . .
who knows all their sin,
who is so holy—that He must punish them,
who is so powerful—that He can punish them,
who is so just—that He punishes all impenitent sinners forever!