The Institution of Christian Religion

Now (as I think) all men do perceive whereunto tended that chastisement of the Lord upon David: even to be an instruction that ⟨image 229⟩God is grievously displeased with manslaughter & adultery, against which he had showed so great an indignation in his beloved & faithful servant: that David should be taught to be no more so bold to do the like deed: and not to be a pain whereby he should make a certain recompense to God. And so is to be judged of the other kind of correction, whereby the Lord punished his people with a sore pestilence,¹ for Davids disobedience whereinto he was fallen in numbering the people. For he did in deed freely forgive to David the guiltiness of his sin: but because it pertained both to the public example of all ages, and also to the humbling of David, that such a heinous offence should not remain unpunished: therefore he most sharply chastised him with his rod. Which mark also we ought to have before our eyes in the universal curse of mankind. For whereas after pardon obtained, we do all yet suffer the miseries that were laid upon our first parent for pain of sin: we perceive our selves by such exercises to be admonished, how grievously God is displeased with the transgression of his law: that being thrown down & humbled with knowledge in conscience of our own miserable estate, we may the more fervently aspire to true blessedness. But he shall be most foolish that shall think, that the calamities of this present life are laid upon us for the guiltiness of sin.² And that I think was the meaning of Chrysostom when he wrote thus. If God do therefore lay pains upon us, that he should call us, persevering in evils to repentance, then when repentance is ones showed, the pain shall be superfluous. Therefore, as he knoweth it to be expedient for every mans nature, so he handleth one man more roughly, and an other with more loving tenderness. Therefore where he mindeth to teach that he is not immeasurable in taking punishments, he reproacheth to the hard hearted & obstinate people that being stricken yet they make not an end of sinning In this meaning he complaineth,³ that Ephraim was as a •ake scorched on the one side, and raw on the other, because the corrections did not pierce into their minds, that the people having their vices boiled out, might be made mete to receive pardon.