By them God preserves the excellent Footsteps of his own Goodness in his Creation and his Law; and curbs the Licentiousness of Men, and contains them within the bounds of their Duty. The Judgments are good, saith the Psalmist*, i. e. Thy Judicial proceedings upon the Wicked: For he desires God there, to turn away by some signal act, the reproach the Wicked cast upon him. Can there be any thing more Miserable than to live in a World full of Wickedness, and void of the Marks of Divine Goodness and Justice to repress it? Were there not Judgments in the World, Men would forget God, be insensible of his Government of the World, neglect the Exercises of Natural and Christian Duties; Religion would be at its last gasp, and expire among them, and Men would pretend to break Gods Precepts by Gods Authority. Are they not good then, as they restrain the Creature from further Evils? Affright others from the same Crimes, which they were inclinable to commit? He strikes some, to reform others that are Spectators; As Apollonius tamed Pigeons, by beating Dogs before them. Punishments are Gods gracious warnings to others, not to venture upon those Crimes which they see attended with such Judgments. The Censers of Corah, Dathan, and ⟨p. 603⟩Abiram were to be wrought into Plates for a covering of the Altar, to abide there as a Memento to others, not to approach to the Exercise of the Priestly Office without an authoritative call from God*; And those Judgments exercised in the former Ages of the World, were intended by Divine Goodness for warnings, even in Evangelical times. Lots Wife was turned into a Pillar of Salt, to prevent Men from Apostasy: That use Christ himself makes of it, in the exhortation against turning back†. And,* The Righteous shall wash his Feet in the Blood of the Wicked. When God shall drench his Sword in the Blood of the Wicked, the Righteous shall take occasion from thence to purify themselves, and reform their Ways, and look to the Paths of their Feet. Would not Impunity be hurtful to the World, and Men receive encouragement to Sin, if severities sometimes did not bridle them from the practice of their Inclinations? Sometimes the Sinner himself is reformed, and sometimes removed from being an example to others.
By them God preserves the excellent Footsteps of his own Goodness in his Creation and his Law; and curbs the Licentiousness of Men, and contains them within the bounds of their Duty. The Judgments are good, saith the Psalmist*, i. e. Thy Judicial proceedings upon the Wicked: For he desires God there, to turn away by some signal act, the reproach the Wicked cast upon him. Can there be any thing more Miserable than to live in a World full of Wickedness, and void of the Marks of Divine Goodness and Justice to repress it? Were there not Judgments in the World, Men would forget God, be insensible of his Government of the World, neglect the Exercises of Natural and Christian Duties; Religion would be at its last gasp, and expire among them, and Men would pretend to break Gods Precepts by Gods Authority. Are they not good then, as they restrain the Creature from further Evils? Affright others from the same Crimes, which they were inclinable to commit? He strikes some, to reform others that are Spectators; As Apollonius tam'd Pigeons, by beating Dogs before them. Punishments are Gods gracious warnings to others, not to venture upon those Crimes which they see attended with such Judgments. The Censers of Corah, Dathan, and ⟨p. 603⟩Abiram were to be wrought into Plates for a covering of the Altar, to abide there as a Memento to others, not to approach to the Exercise of the Priestly Office without an authoritative call from God*; And those Judgments exercised in the former Ages of the World, were intended by Divine Goodness for warnings, even in Evangelical times. Lots Wife was turned into a Pillar of Salt, to prevent Men from Apostacy: That use Christ himself makes of it, in the exhortation against turning back†. And,* The Righteous shall wash his Feet in the Blood of the Wicked. When God shall drench his Sword in the Blood of the Wicked, the Righteous shall take occasion from thence to purifie themselves, and reform their Ways, and look to the Paths of their Feet. Would not Impunity be hurtful to the World, and Men receive incouragement to Sin, if severities sometimes did not bridle them from the practice of their Inclinations? Sometimes the Sinner himself is reform'd, and sometimes removed from being an example to others.
- *Psal. 119. Psal. 39.
- *Num. 16.38, 40.
- †Luke 17.32, 33.
- *Psal. 58.10.
