in Contrh;ing Man's Redemption. In rhe Law the Sovereignty and Holinefs of God eminently appear: And there are ~ two things in all Sins which expofe the Offender jufr!y to Puni!hment: . . . . Chap.12. 1. A Contempt of God's Sovereignty, and in thatrefpell: there is a kn;d ?f eqUJlny ~ between them. He ~bat offetuf,s in_one, i.J guilty of aU'I. Jam. 2. ro. they bemg ratJ~ed by the fame Authority. And from hence 'tis, that Guilt is the natural Pallion of Sm; that always adheres ro it. for as God has a Jodicial Power to inflill: Puni!hment upon the Difobedient by virtue of his Sovereignty, fo the defert of Puniiliment arifeth from the de[piling it in the violation of his Commands. ~. In every Sin _there is a contrari~ty ro God's Holinefs. And in this the natural turpitude of Sin contilts, which is receptive of degrees. from hence arifes Go~'s hatred c;f Sin, which is as cffintial as his Lc;>Ve to Himfelf: the h-1~ nite Purity an~ Rect_~rude_ of Ius Natme, infers the moll: perfeCl: abhorrence of whatever IS oppofite to tt. The r~~hteo;u Lord loves llighteoufnefl, but t/1c Wickfd hit Soul bates, Pfa! • . t I. 5, 7· Now tile Jt:· flice of God is founded in hi sSovereignty, and in his Ho\inds; and the reafon why :ns. exercifed again it Sin, is nm an arbitrary Conflitution, but his Holy_N,trure, t? whtch Sin is repugnant. Thefe things being premifed, it follows, That God m the relm10n of a Governour, is ProteCl:orof thofe Sacred Laws which are to direct: the R.eatonable Crea~ tnre. And as 'twas mof\ reafonable, that in the fir(\ giving the Law, He !hould lay the f\rongeft reflraint upon Man for preventing Sin, by the threatning of Death, the greate(\: evil in it felf, and in the eftimation of Mankind; fo 'ris mofl: congruous to R.ea[on, when the Command was broke by Man's Rebellion, that the Penalty fuould be inflill:ed, either on hi s Perfon, accord ing to the immediate intent of the Law, orfatisfaCI:ion equivalent ro the Offence fhou!d be made, that the Majefly and Purity of God might appear in his Juflice, and there might be a vifible difcovery of the value he puts on Obedience. ' The Life of the Law depends upon the execu tion of it; for imputiny occalions a contempt of JufHce, and by extenuating Sin in the account of Men, incourages to the free commi!lion of it. If Pardon be eafily obtained, Sin will be eaG!y committed. Crimes unpunifu'd [eem authorifed. The firf\ temptation was prevalent by this perfwafton, that no puni!hment would follow. Befides, if upon the bold violation of the Law no puni!hment were inflicted, not only the Glory of God's Ho!inefs would be obfeared, as if he did not love Righteoufnefs and hate.Sin, but fuffered the contempt of the one, and the commiflion of the other without controul; but it would either reflect up~ on his W ifdom, as if he had not upon jufl reafon ef\abli!h'd an alliance between the Offence and the Penalty~ or upon his Power, as if He were not able ro vindicate the Rights of Heaven. And after his giving a Law, and declaring that accdrding to the te· nor of it, He would difpenfe Rewards and Punifhments, if Sin were unrevenged, it would leffen the facrednefs of his Truth in the ef\eelll of Men. So that the Law and Law-giver would be expofed to contempt. By all which it appears, that the Honour of God was infinitely concerned in his requiring fatisfaction for the breach of his Laws. Temporal Magif\rates are bound to execute wife and equal Laws, for the prefervation of Publick Order, and Civil Societies. 'Tis true, there be fome cafes wherein the Lawgive r may be for ced to difpen[e with the Law, as when the fparing of an Offender is more advantage to the State than his punHhment: Befides, there is a fuperiour Tribunal :~e; ~~~hr~r'~a~o0r~:~~~heaheu~~~~~~~~~·th~':: t~0~~;~af~~~a~:~t~ h~~rtt~,~~ugtt~:~~;~~ the Divine Government: For God is infinitely free from any neceffity of corBpli:mce. There is no exigency of Government that requires, that any Offenders iliould efcape his Se\'erity. Neither is there any Juflice above his, which might exact Satisfact'on of them. Belides, the Majef\y of his Laws is more facred than of thofe which preferve Earth!j States, and ought role more inviolable. The fum is this, to declare God's hatred of Sin which is elfenrial to his Nature, to preferve the Honour of the Law, which otherwife would be fecure!y defpifed, and lofe its effect, to prevent Sin, by keeping up in Men an holy fear to offend God, an eternal refpect in the rational Creature to Him ; 'twas mol\ fit that the prefumtuous breach of God's Command fuould not be unpunin1ed. Now '~hen th_e Son of God was made a Sacrifice for Sin, and by a Bloody Death made expiatton of tt, the World is convinced how infinitely hateful Sin is to him, the dignity of the Law is maintained, and Si n is mof\ effectually difcouraged. There is the fame T er- ;or, though not the fa~e Rigor, as if all mankind had been finally condemned. Thus tt appears how becommg God it was, to accompli{h our Salvation in fuch a matmer:i that }ufiice and Mercy are 'ievea!ed i~ their mof\ noble and eminent Effects and OperatiOnS. :l. Th~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=