Verse 30, 31

For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongeth to me, I will recompence, says the Lord. And again, the Lord shall Judge his People. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

There is in these verses the confirmation of all that was spoken before, by the consideration of what God is in himself, with whom alone we have to do in this matter, and what he assumeth to himself in this and the like cases. As if the Apostle had said, In the severe sentence which we have denounced against Apostates, we have spoken nothing but what is suitable to the holiness of God and what indeed in such cases he has declared that he will do. The conjunction [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] denotes the introduction of a reason of what was spoken before; but this is not all which he had discoursed on, on this subject; but more particularly the reference he had made to their own judgments, of what sore punishment was due to Apostates. Thus it will be with them, thus you must needs determine concerning them in your own minds, for we know him with whom we have to do in these things. Therefore the Apostle confirms the truth of his discourse, or rather illustrates the evidence of it, by a double consideration, (1.) of the person of him who is, and is to be the sole Judge in this case, who is God alone, For we know him. And (2.) what he has assumed to himself, and affirmed concerning himself in the like-cases, which he expresseth in a double testimony of Scripture. And then lastly, there is the way whereby our minds are influenced from this person and what he has said, which is, that we know him.

The first consideration confirming the evidence and certainty of the truth asserted, is the person of him who is the only Judge in this case. I confess the pronoun herein is not exprest in the original, but as 'tis included in the participle and article prefixed, [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], he that says, who expresseth himself in the words ensuing. But it is evident that the Apostle directeth to a special consideration of God himself, both in the manner of the expression, and in the addition of those words, [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], to the testimony which he writes immediately. If you will be convinced of a righteousness, and certainty of this dreadful destruction of Apostates, consider in the first place the author of this judgment the only Judge in the case; We know him that has said.

I. There can be no right judgment made of the nature and demerit of sin, without a due consideration of the nature and holiness of God, against whom it is committed.

Fools make a mock of sin, they have no sense of its guilt, nor dread of its punishment. Others have slight thoughts of it, measuring it only either by outward effects, or by presumptions which they have been accustomed to. Some have general notions of its guilt, as 'tis prohibited by the divine law, but never search into the nature of that law with respect to its Author. Such false measures of sin ruin the souls of men.

Nothing, therefore, will state our thoughts aright concerning the guilt and demerit of sin, but a deep consideration of the infinite greatness, holiness, righteousness, and power of God against whom it is committed.

And hereunto this also is to be added, that God acts not in the effect of any of these properties of his nature, but on a preceding contempt of his goodness, bounty, grace and mercy; as it is impossible that sin should come into the world but by the contempt of these things. Antecedently to all possibility of sinning, God communicates the effects of his goodness and bounty to the creation; and in those sins which are against the Gospel, he does so also of his grace and mercy. This is that which will give us a due measure of the guilt and demerit of sin: look upon it as a contempt of infinite goodness, bounty, grace, and mercy, and to rise up against infinite greatness, holiness, righteousness, and power, and we shall have a view of it as it is in itself.

II. Under apprehensions of great severities of divine judgments, the consideration of God the author of them, will both relieve our faith, and quiet our hearts. Such instances are given of the eternal casting off multitudes of angels, on their guilt in one sin; the woful sin of Adam, and the ruin of his posterity, even of those who had not sinned after the similitude of his transgression; the destruction of the old world by a universal flood; as in the fire and brimstone that God rained from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah; in the final rejection of the Jews; the dreadful overthrow of the city and temple by fire; in the eternity of the torments of impenitent sinners. In all these things and others that seem to have any thing of the same kind with them, we shall need nothing to give the most full satisfaction to our souls, if we know him who has said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay it.

This consideration is confirmed by a double testimony, wherein God assumeth to himself that which will give assurance of the punishment of Apostates. And we may consider concerning these testimonies, (1.) the Apostle's application of them to his purpose, (2.) the force that is in them to that end.

1. They are both of them taken from (Deuteronomy 32:35, 36). But in that place they seem absolutely to intend vengeance and judgment on the adversaries of his people to make a way for their deliverance. But here they are applied to the final destruction of that same people, namely the Jews, without hopes of deliverance.

I answer,

1. That it is usual with the Apostle in this Epistle, and all other writers of the New Testament to make use of testimonies out of the old, without respect to the particular cases and designs which they are originally applied to; but with regard to the truth and equity contained in them; whereon they are equally applicable to all cases of a like nature. Thus, says he, God declares himself with respect to his stubborn enemies, from where a rule is established, that he will deal so with all that are so, who are in the same circumstances with them of whom we speak.

2. What God speaks concerning his enemies, and the enemies of his people in covenant with him, is applicable to that people itself, when they absolutely break and reject the covenant; so was it done by these Apostates, who thereon came into the room and place of the most cursed enemies of God and his people. And therefore God will be to them what he was to the worst of those his adversaries.

That which God properly in that place assumes this title to himself upon, is the cruelty and rage of those adversaries in the persecution and destruction of his people: and shall he not act in like manner towards them who murdered the Lord Jesus, and persecuted all his followers? Therefore whatever frame of mind in God is represented in the Scripture, as to his indignation against the worst of sinners and his adversaries, is fully applicable to these degenerate apostates.

The first testimony in the original is, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], to me vengeance and recompense, which the Apostle renders by [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], to the same purpose. Recompense is the actual exercise of vengeance. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], vengeance, is the actual execution of judgment on sinners according to their desert without mitigation of mercy. 'Tis an act of judgment, and wherever mention is made of it, God is still proposed as a Judge, it being a just retribution, on the consideration of the demerit of sin as sin.

This vengeance God appropriates the right of to himself in a peculiar manner, as that which no creature in its full latitude has any interest in. See (Psalm 94:1, 2). For it respects only sin in its own formal nature, as sin against God. Though men may inflict punishments on it, yet they do it principally on other accounts. Whatever is of vengeance in punishment is merely an emanation from divine constitution. No creature can have the just measures of the desert of sin, so as to give it a just and due recompense. The power of the creature cannot extend to the just execution of vengeance, sins deserving eternal punishment. Pure vengeance as vengeance, is not to be intrusted with our nature, nor would any man be able to manage it, but would fall into one excess or other, to the ruin of his own soul. Therefore God has reserved and included all vengeance to himself, and all just, final retribution for and to sin. Although he has allowed infliction of punishment on offenders in order to the government and peace of the world in magistrates and public persons; yet as to vengeance, as it denotes giving satisfaction to ourselves in the punishment of others, it is forbidden to all persons both private and public. God in executing vengeance gives satisfaction to his own infinite holiness, and righteousness, which makes it holy and just. Men cannot give satisfaction to themselves in punishment but it is to their evil affections, which makes it useless and unjust. Hence David blessed God that he had kept him from avenging himself on Nabal. For there is no vengeance but what is exerted by a man's self, in his own case and cause: the judgment to punishment is for others. Therefore the formal reason of the appropriation of all vengeance to God is, that God alone can judge and punish in his own case, and to his own satisfaction. He has made all things for himself, and the wicked for the day of evil.

In this appropriation of vengeance to God, there is supposed and included, that indeed there is vengeance with God, which in due time he will execute; I will repay says God. He does oftentimes exercise great patience and forbearance, even then when vengeance might justly be expected and is called for; how long do you not avenge our blood? This commonly adds to the security of wicked men, and they learn to despise the threatenings of all the judgments of God which they have deserved (2 Peter 3:3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Ecclesiastes 8:11). They are ready to conclude that either vengeance does not belong to God, or that it shall be executed when and where they are not concerned. But in all these cases God has fixed a determinate time and season for the execution of deserved vengeance. Hence he calls it the year of vengeance, and the day of recompense; so here, I will repay it says the Lord.

This being so, God having said that vengeance belongs to him, and that it is due to provoking sins and sinners; that it is in his power, and his alone to inflict it when and how he pleases, and that he will certainly do so; in the assurance whereof the Apostle adds that word, says the Lord, he will repay it; it evidently follows, that in his appointed season, the day and year of vengeance, such horrible provoking sinners as were those treated of, must fall under the most severe punishment and that for evermore.

The second testimony taken from the same place, is of the same importance with this, The Lord shall judge his people. In Deuteronomy it is applied to such a judgment of them as tends to their deliverance. But the general truth of the words is, that God is the supreme Judge, he is Judge himself (Psalm 50:6). This the Apostle makes use of, concluding, that the righteousness of God, as the supreme Judge of all, obliges him to this severe destruction of apostates: for shall not the Judge of all the world do right? Shall not he who is Judge in a peculiar manner of those that profess themselves to be his people, punish them for their iniquities, especially such as break off all covenant-relation between him and them?

A due consideration of the nature of God, his office, that he is the Judge of all, especially of his people, and that enclosure he has made of vengeance to himself under an irrevocable purpose for its execution, gives indubitable assurance of the certain unavoidable destruction of all wilful apostates. All their security, all their presumptions, all their hopes will vanish before this consideration, as darkness before the light of the sun.

Although those who are the peculiar people of God do stand in many relations to him that are full of refreshment and comfort; yet is it their duty constantly to remember that he is the holy and righteous Judge even towards his own people.

Lastly, the ground of the application of these testimonies to the present case, is that knowledge of God which they had to whom he spoke, (for we know him,) you have the same sense of God, his holiness and truth as I have, and therefore it cannot be strange to you, that he will deal thus severely with apostates; you know who he is, how infinite in holiness, righteousness and power; you know what he has said in cases like to this, namely, that vengeance is his, and he will repay it; therefore it must be evident to you that these things will be as they are now declared.

The knowledge of God in some good measure both what he is in himself, and what he has taken on himself to do, is necessary to render either his promises or threatenings effectual to the minds of men.