194 . 'Ihe Harmony of the 'Divine Attributes rvvl 3· Thofe Evils that are inflided on Believers for Sin, do not diminifb the Power and • Chap. I4. Value of Chrifi's Pailion. For we mu£\ difiinguifb between Punifhments which are ~ meerly c.jligatory for the good of the Offender, and that are purely vi11diefive for the jufi Satisfaction of the Law. Now Believers are liable to the fir£\, but are freed from the other; For Chrifl hath redeemed them from the C11rfi of the La,., bei11g made aC11rfi for then1. The Popijb Dofrrin of Satisfaction to offended Jufiice by our fuffering temporal Evils, is atrended with many pernicious Confequences : r. It robs the Crofs of Chrifi of one parr of its Glory; as if fomething were left us to make up in the degrees and virtue of his Sufferings. 2. It reftefrs on God's Jufiice, as if he exafred two different Satisfactions for Sin: The one from Chtifi our Surety, the other from the Sinner. 3· It difparages his Mercy, in making Him to punifh whom He pardons, and to in· flier a Penalty after the Sin is remitted\ 4· Tis dangerous to Man, by feeding a falfe Prefumption in him ; as if by the merit of his Sufferings, he could expiate Sin, and obtain part of that Salvation which we entirely owe to the Death of our Redeemer. The difference between Chafiifements, and purely vindiefive Punifbments, appears in three things: I. In the Caufes from whence they proceed. The feverefi Sufferings of the Godly are not the Effects of the Divine Vengeance. 'Tis true, they are Evidences of God's Difpleafure again£\ them for Sin, but not of Hatred. For being reconciled to them in Chrifr, He bears an unchangeable Affection to them : And Love cannot hate, though it may be angry . TheMotivethatexcitesGodtocorreClthem, is Love: According to thatTefiimony of the Apofile, Whom the Lord loves he chaf/ens, Heb. I 2. 6. As fometimes out of ~ii:/~:;~e~ ~ffr~~~~ee ~e~~~~~~~~~c~r~~';ffi~s ~~~~:~~s ~~~i~~~:l~nv~~di;~v!'J~~~~ ments proceed from meer wrath. • · They differ in their Meafures. The evils that Believers fuffer are always proportioned to their firength. They are not the fudden Eruptions of Anger, but deliberate ~;~~~;~~:; wi~a~J;s~:;:~~~to ~~: J~g~m;~~."2:ri~n~Pf.!,~i~h X!fi~~ra!f:jud'~~ ment as 'cis oppo[ed to Fury, CorreEime, 0 Lord, in thy "j1tdgment, not ht thy F11ry, Jer. I O. 24. 'Tis the gracious Promife of God to David, 2 Sam. 7· I4. with refpeCl: to Solomon, lfhe commit lniqltity, I will cbaften him with the Rod of Men, and with the Stripes of the (!Jildren of Men; that is, Chafiife him moderately: For in the fiile of the Scripture, as things are magnified by the Epithet Divine, or of God; as the Cedar{ of God, that is, very tall ; and N inive is called the City of Goa, that is, very great: So to fignifie things that are in a mediocrity, the Scripture ufes the Epithet humane, or of Men. And according to the Rule of Oppofition, the Rod ofGod is an extraordinary AffiiCl:ion which defiroys the Sinner; 'tis fuch a Punifbment., a Man can neither inflifr, nor endure: But the ll.od·of Men is a mpderate CorreCl:ion, that cloth not exceed the firength of the Patient. Bm every purely vinditlive Punifhment which the Law pronounces, is in proportion to the nature of the Crime, n0t the firength of the Criminal. 3· They are difiingnifi1'd by the intention and end of God in inflifring them: r. In Chafii[emems ·God primarily defigns the profit of his People, that they may he parta/,srs ofhis Holinefs, Heb. I2. IO. When they are fecure and carnal, He awakens Confcience by the !harp Voice of the Rod; to reflect: upon fin, to make them obfervant for the future, to render their Affefrionsmore indifferent to the World, and fironger towards Heaven. The Apoftle exprelfes (I Cor. 11. 32.) the nature of Chafiifements, Whm we are j•dged, we are inflruefed by the Lord: They are more lively Lelfons than tho[e which are by the Word alone, and make a deeper impreilion upon the Heart. David acknowledges, Before he was afflicted, he wenl aflray: but now have I kspt thy Words, Pfal. 1 •9· 67. Corrupt Nature makes God's Favours pernicious, but his Grace makes our Punifbments profitabie. Briefly, They are not Satisfafrions for what is pafi, but admonitions for the time to come. But purely vindiefive Judgments are nnt infliCted for the reformation of an Offender, but to preferve the Honour of the Sovereign, and Publick Order, and to make compenfation for the breach of the Law. If any advan· tage acrue to the Offender, 'tisaccidental, and befides the intention of the Judge. o. The end of Chafiifements upon Believers is to prevent their final defiruetion: JiT'hcn we arc Judged, we are Chaftened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the World, I Cor. u. And this fweetens and allays all their Sufferings. As the Pfalmifl declares,Let the lVghteour finite me, and it fhaU be a kjndneji; let !Jim reprove me, it jbaU be an exceUent
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