6 2 The 7tillice ofGod, &c. c>1.1, way, and confider only the prefent hate of Things, they are ready to quarrel at the Ju(lice of them ; but if they would Iook at the end of Things, and have Patience to flay till the laft, to fee the Conclufion and Winding up of things, they would then acquit God in their thoughts from all thofe imputations of in- juflice, which from the inequality of prefent difpenfations, rafh and inconfiderate Men are apt to charge him withal. II.Objec`tion, from the tranJlation of .Punilliments, the punifhing ofone Man's Sin upon another, as of the Fathers upon the Children, which God threatens in the fecondCommandment, and did in fome fort fulfil in Ahab, in bringing the evil he had threateed him withal, in his Son's Days, r Kings 2r. 19. The punifhing the Sin of one Perlon upon a People, as that of Achan upon the whole Congregation, Jofh. ! t. to. Did not Achan thefen of Zerah commit a trefpafs in the accurfed thing? andwrath fellon all the congregation of Ifrael, and that manperifhed not alone in his iniquity. And the Sin of David upon the People, a. Sam. 24. when f venty thou - fandDied of the Plague, for David's Sin in numbring the People. Now how is thisagreeable tojuflice ? Is it not a known Rule, Noxa caput fequitur, Mifchief purfues the Sinner ? What can be more reafonable, Quam ut peccatafuos tentant Au. thores, Than that Mens faults fhould k charged upon the Authors, and Punifhment fall upon the guilty ? For anfwer to this, r. It is not unreafonable that one Man fhould bear the punifhment ofanother's Fault, if he be willing and content to bear it. Violenti nonfit injuria, There is no wrong done to theft', that are willing to undergo it, tho' they he innocent; which was the cafe of our I3lefled Saviour fuffering for us, the jug for the unjufl, as the Scripture exprefleth ir. z. Where the perfon, upon whom the punifhment is transfer'd, is likewife afirmer, and obnoxious to God, there can be no injuflice; becaufehe bath deferved it upon his own account, and God may take what occafiori he pleafeth to pu- nifh them that deferve to be punifht. 3. In punifhing the iniquityof the Father upon the Children, the guilty Perlon, that is, the Father, is punifht in the Calamity of his Children, for a Man's Chil- dren are himfelf Multiply'd ; and therefore it is very remarkable that in thefecond Commandment, God promifeth to thew mercy to thoufands ofGenerations of them that love him ; but he vi'ts the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children, but to the third and fourth Generation, that is, fo far as Man may live to fee them punifht, and fuffer in their Punifhment. 4. As to the Punifhment of the People for the fins of their Princes and Gover- nors, and one part of a community for another, fuppofing all ofthem to be Stin- ners, which is the true cafe, God may lay the punifhment where he pleafeth; and there is no more injuflicethan when a Man is whipt on theBack for the theft which his hand committed, a community being one Body ; befides the Prince is punifht in the lofs of his People, the glory of a King confifling in the Multitude ofhis Sublet-is. The Obje&ion with refpe& to the other World, the punifhment of temporal Evils with Eternal, is elk-where anfwer'd. The ufe we fhould make ofthis whole Difcourfe is, Firfl, IfGod be yufl and Righteous, let us acknowledge it in all his difpenfati- ons, even in thofe, the Reafon whereof is molt hidden and obfcure, Neh. 9., 33. Speakingof the great affli&ions that had befal'n God's own People, yet this he lays down as a firm Principle, howbeit thou art juft in all that is brought upon us. Secondly, This is matter of terror to wicked Men. God doth now exercife his milder Attributes towards Sinners, his Mercy, and Patience, and Goodnefa; but if we defpife thefe, that terrible Attribute of his Mice will difplay it felf ; and this theScripturedefcribes in a revere manner, theLord revengeth, and isjealous ; the Lord will take vengeance on his Adverfaries, and refervreth wrath for his Enemies. Thirdly,This is matter of comfort to good Men, that the Righteous God governs the
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