EZEK. 36. 27.
I Am now upon the latter general Branch, into which the whole work of Conversion divideth it self. Religion to God, and Righteousness to man, are the two pillars upon which this spiritual Temple is sustained: God hath put these two together, yet how often doth the Devil and mans corruption divide them! some attend wholly to the Religious Worship of God, but are grosly neglective of righteous and just things; others glory much in their righteousness to man, but shew no piety at all in their lives to God. Now where God giveth this new heart, there is a tender conscience of both: And the first hath been dispatched, under the notion of Statutes, which strictly taken, relateth to the purity of Gods instituted Worship.
We come to the second particular; viz. Righteousness and Equity to man, contained in these words, Keep my judgements, and do them: It cannot be denied, but that the word Judgement in the Scripture, is of a vast and large signification, which I shall not enumerate at this time: Here I take it strictly and distinctly, as in other places, for obedience to those Laws of God, which contain righteousness and equity between man & man; in which sense the Prophets often call upon the Israelites, To do judgement, and justice, and to break off the ways of violence, oppression, wrong, and all unrighteousness. So that we may observe:
Observ. A Converted person is very conscientious and tender in all the duties of righteousness and equity to others.
He dareth not pray, hear, make a strict profession of Religion to God; and yet lye, cozen, deal falsely, wrong or defraud any man in his dealings; He hath a respect to all Gods Commandments, Psal. 119. he knoweth the same God who commanded the Precepts of the first Table, containing duty to, and worship of God; doth also equally and indispensably require duties of faithfulness and righteousness to men. This point is of singular use, for wherein doth Religion get greater wounds, the Gospel more dishonor, then when men in repute for godliness, are found guilty and blame-worthy in the ways of dishonesty? To have wicked men lye, swear and forswear, to defraud and injure others, the world expects no better, looks for no other; but for thee, a professor of Religion, it expects all truth, fidelity, righteousness, else thou art a dead flie in the box of ointment, a scandal and reproach to the ways of God; and thou hadst better never to have been born, then to prove such a stumbling block in the ways of piety. Indeed, there are passive scandals, when men will maliciously and falsly raise slanders and false reports of the professors of Religion, laying to their charge things they never did, believing lyes, and misinterpreting their words and actions; and these will be, as long as wicked men are in the world: And hence it is, that all godly men are looked upon as Hypocrites, as such as will lye and do falsly, yea, do any thing for their advantages: But these are passive scandals, and these offences come from the venimous disposition of wicked men; and the godly may rejoce in their innocency, while such crimes are laid upon them. But then there are active scandals, when men of strict profession, do indeed walk in such unjust and unrighteous ways, that thereby the name of God is blasphemed among wicked men: Our Saviour saith, Wo be to that man, by whom such offences come, Matth. 16. 7. So that we desire this truth should sound aloud in the ears of all those, who take themselves for Converts; their faith and piety must be accompanied with all righteousness and honesty. Hence whereas converted persons have several Titles and Attributes, denoting several qualities in them; there is nothing more frequent and ordinary, then to call them Righteous, this is in every page; How then is a Lyer righteous in his words? how is a breaker of his word and promise, righteous in his fidelity? how is a cheater or an overreaching man righteous in his dealings?
To open this, consider, That there is a twofold original fountain of Righteousness1 towards man: 1. There is the immediate command and word of God, and that is called Jus Divinum, Divine Righteousness. 2. There is the Law and Command of Nature, and that is Jus Humanum, An humane Righteousness, or Right: And this is either general, the first and immediate principles of nature, such as the Apostle speaketh of, Rom. 1. concerning the Gentiles, That they had a Law written in their hearts, verse 7. about just and unjust things, and their consciences accusing or excusing, upon the omission or commission of such things, or else they are more remote and particular dictates, such as the good and wholesomes Laws of all Law-givers, in respective Nations: So what is righteous and just between man and man, is to be determined by the Laws of that Land where they live: Indeed, if any Law-givers (as some Heathenish have) commanded or allowed any thing that is against the Law of God, or the universal dictates of right reason; such commands are not worthy the name of Laws, they are rather unjust decrees, and so do not binde: But otherwise, the Laws of a Land determine what is righteous and just between man and man: for although it be Gods command, That a man should not steal, yet they are humane Laws that give the bounds and proprieties of estates to men: So that we Christians, and the Jews, do something differ about the Rules of Righteousnes and Equity; for God was the immediate Law-giver unto that people: Moses as a messenger from God, received from Gods mouth the Judicial Law, which he delivered to them; so that the Judicial Law appointed by God himself, was the Statute-Law of that Realm: Their Laws were not Humane, as all the Laws of Kingdoms and States are since Christs coming, but they were Divine: Their Laws about a Theif, a Murtherer, the Buyer and the Seller, were all Divine Laws, because immediately commanded by God, though the matter was meerly humane: Now its greatly disputed, how far these Judicial Laws, commanding Judgement and Justice between man and man, do binde us Christians; and whether all Law-givers and States-men, are not bound to bring in those Judicial Laws? for who can determine what is Righteousness and Equity better then God, a righteous and wise God? Its not pertinent to wade into this excellent Question at this time: Though some in this point are very rigid, to make all Obligatory, that are not expressly repealed by Christ; and some again are very remiss and lax; yet all conclude, That the Moral Equity and Reason that was in every Judicial Law, doth binde Christians as well as Jews; and with that we shall conclude this particular, whatsoever Law God made about Justice, Restitution or Punishment to the Jews, the Equity and reason of that Law, doth still binde us, though not the particular maner. As for the New Testament, Christs Kingdoms was not temporal, or of this world; and therefore he onely commands Righteousness in the general, and commands that excellent Maxime, which an Heathen Emperor did so much admire, saying, He received it from Christians, What ye would have men do to you, do ye to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets, Mat. 7. 12. that is, All the duties commanded by the Law, or required by the Prophets, are comprized in this Maxim, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: Oh the world would not be full of such wickedness, unrighteousness as it is, if this were observed: And further mark, when our Saviour had pressed them to earnest prayer, and incouraged them therein, he addeth this as a necessary condition to their prayers: So that let men be never such Angels in duties and expressions, let them pretend never so much Piety and Religion, if they walk not by this rule, they follow not Christs directions: Christ therefore he hath onely given us general rules of Righteousness, and for the particulars, he doth command Christians to obey and submit to the wholesom Laws of that place where they are; as Rom. 13. Pay tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom: And this the Scripture doth often press, that none might think that the freedom they had by Christ, did take them off from Humane Obligations and Relations: This was a great temptation, they thought because they were2 Christians, and made free by Christ, that this also did take them off from obedience to Civil Magistrates, and from the Laws they lived under: No, the Scripture is diligent to teach this, That Christianity and the Gospel doth not abolish Political and civil Government, but rather greatly advanceth it as an institution of God, pressing obedience thereunto for conscience sake.