I say, he neither doth nor can do iniquity. God can do no iniquity, because in him there is none. He is my rock (saith David, Psal: 92.15.) and there is no unrighteousness in him. As none can do righteousness, but they that are righteous, so he that neither is nor can be unrighteous, cannot do any unrighteousness. That in the Psalm is very considerable, that while he saith, There ⟨p. 557⟩is no unrighteousness in God, he immediately before said, He is my rock; implying that God can no more be moved or removed from doing righteously, then a rock can be removed out of its place. We find Moses also giving God the same attribute, when he spake of his indeclinableness in justice (Deut: 32.4.) He is a rock, his work is perfect, all his ways are Judgement. The ways of God are not all judgement, as Judgement is opposed to mercy; some of his ways are mercy, and others of them are Judgement; but all his ways are judgement, as Judgement is opposed to injustice or unrighteousness, that's the signification of Judgement, when Moses saith, All his ways are Judgement, he is a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he. The Apostle puts this denying question with much vehemency (Rom: 9.14.) What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. And 'tis very considerable that the Apostle put this question with so much abhorrence, presently after he had spoken of that Act of God which is so much quarrelled at by the sons of men, as unrighteous and unjust; Esau have I hated, and Jacob have I loved, and that, when they had done neither good nor evil (v. 11.) What (say some) will God do thus? will he hate or love, before ever men do good or evil? yeas, such acts of love and hatred, of election and rejection are gone out from God. And because Paul foresaw, that men (according to their narrow apprehension) would be ready to say, surely God is not right in this; therefore he subjoins, What shall we say then? is there unrighteousness in God? As if he had said, I know some men will be ready enough to say so, and think they have reason enough to say so;
I say, he neither doth nor can doe iniquity. God can doe no iniquity, because in him there is none. He is my rocke (saith David, Psal: 92.15.) and there is no unrighteousnesse in him. As none can doe righteousnesse, but they that are righteous, so he that neither is nor can be unrighteous, cannot doe any unrighteousnesse. That in the Psalme is very considerable, that while he saith, There ⟨p. 557⟩is no unrighteousnesse in God, he immediately before said, He is my rocke; implying that God can no more be moved or removed from doing righteously, then a rocke can be removed out of its place. We find Moses also giving God the same attribute, when he spake of his indeclinableness in justice (Deut: 32.4.) He is a rocke, his worke is perfect, all his wayes are Judgement. The wayes of God are not all judgement, as Judgement is opposed to mercy; some of his wayes are mercy, and others of them are Judgement; but all his wayes are judgement, as Judgement is opposed to injustice or unrighteousnesse, that's the signification of Judgement, when Moses saith, All his wayes are Judgement, he is a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he. The Apostle puts this denying question with much vehemency (Rom: 9.14.) What shall we say then, is there unrighteousnesse with God? God forbid. And 'tis very considerable that the Apostle put this question with so much abhorrence, presently after he had spoken of that Act of God which is so much quarrelled at by the sons of men, as unrighteous and unjust; Esau have I hated, and Jacob have I loved, and that, when they had done neither good nor evill (v. 11.) What (say some) will God doe thus? will he hate or love, before ever men doe good or evill? yeas, such acts of love and hatred, of election and rejection are gone out from God. And because Paul foresaw, that men (according to their narrow apprehension) would be ready to say, surely God is not right in this; therefore he subjoynes, What shall we say then? is there unrighteousnesse in God? As if he had sayd, I know some men will be ready enough to say so, and thinke they have reason enough to say so;