There are two special cases, in which God never did, nor ever will wrong man; First, he will not wrong man by denying him that reward, which he hath freely promised, no man shall serve God for naught; he shall not say, God hath promised, but he hath not performed. The experience of his people seal to the truth of his promises, as well as their faith embraceth it. That hope of man which is anchored in a promise of God, never miscarried not made any man ashamed. Secondly, God will not wrong man, by laying upon him a greater punishment then he hath threatened. The Magistrate cannot be charged with laying more punishment upon an offender, then is right, if he punisheth him not more then ⟨p. 677⟩the Law alloweth. There may be a great deal of severity (I grant) in punishing up to the rigour of the Law, but there is no unrighteousness in it. The Mosaical law allowed of forty stripes; now if they had laid forty-one upon any offender, they had laid upon him more then was right, because they exceeded the Law; and to have laid full forty stripes, which was the utmost they could by Law, had been severe, therefore they usually abated one stripe at least; Hence the Apostle Paul saith (2 Cor: 11.24.) Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one; if they had given Paul forty stripes they had done no wrong as to the Law, though one had been too many for and a wrong to him who had not broken their law. Seeing the Lord lays no more upon the worst of sinners, then the law alloweth, he doth not lay upon man more then right, Yea not only the chastisements which the Lord layeth upon his own servants, but the greatest punishments which he layeth upon the worst of the wicked, in this world, are much less then might with Justice be inflicted. This was Ezra's humble acknowledgement before the Lord (Ezra 9.13.) And after all that is come upon us, for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve. The punishment that was upon the people of Israel, was exceeding great, in so much that Daniel saith in his prayer (Chap: 9.11, 12.) Under the whole heavens, hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jerusalem, yet Ezra speaking of that very dispensation, saith, Thou hast punished us less, then our iniquities deserve. In this life the greatest of our punishments, are less then the least of our sins.
There are two speciall cases, in which God never did, nor ever will wrong man; First, he will not wrong man by denying him that reward, which he hath freely promised, no man shall serve God for naught; he shall not say, God hath promised, but he hath not performed. The experience of his people seale to the truth of his promises, as wel as their faith imbraceth it. That hope of man which is anchored in a promise of God, never miscarried not made any man ashamed. Secondly, God will not wrong man, by laying upon him a greater punishment then he hath threatned. The Magistrate cannot be charged with laying more punishment upon an offender, then is right, if he punisheth him not more then ⟨p. 677⟩the Law alloweth. There may be a great deale of severity (I grant) in punishing up to the rigor of the Law, but there is no unrighteousness in it. The Mosaical law allowed of forty stripes; now if they had layd forty-one upon any offender, they had layd upon him more then was right, because they exceeded the Law; and to have layd full forty stripes, which was the utmost they could by Law, had been severe, therefore they usually abated one stripe at least; Hence the Apostle Paul saith (2 Cor: 11.24.) Of the Jewes five times received I forty stripes save one; if they had given Paul forty stripes they had done no wrong as to the Law, though one had been too many for and a wrong to him who had not broken their law. Seeing the Lord lays no more upon the worst of sinners, then the law alloweth, he doth not lay upon man more then right, Yea not only the chastisements which the Lord layeth upon his owne servants, but the greatest punishments which he layeth upon the worst of the wicked, in this world, are much lesse then might with Justice be inflicted. This was Ezra's humble acknowledgement before the Lord (Ezra 9.13.) And after all that is come upon us, for our evill deeds, and for our great trespasse, seeing that thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve. The punishment that was upon the people of Israel, was exceeding great, in so much that Daniel saith in his prayer (Chap: 9.11, 12.) Ʋnder the whole heavens, hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jerusalem, yet Ezra speaking of that very dispensation, saith, Thou hast punished us lesse, then our iniquities deserve. In this life the greatest of our punishments, are lesse then the least of our sins.
