Secondly, God inflicts no Chastisements upon those whom he hath pardoned, for the satisfaction of his Justice: and therefore they are not Curses, nor properly Punishments, but only Corrections and Fatherly Chastisements. Christ hath satisfied the demands of Justice for their Sins, and God is more just, than to exact ⟨p. 80⟩double satisfaction for the same Offence, one in Christ's Punishment, and another in theirs. The Apostle tells us, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. It is not the Evils that we suffer, that makes them Curses, or Punishments, be they never so great; but only the Ordination of these Evils to the satisfaction of Divine Justice upon us. And therefore Christ in Scripture is said to be made a Curse, not simply because he suffered, but because he was adjudged to his Sufferings, that thereby satisfaction might be made unto the Justice of God. Hence therefore with what calmness and peace may a Pardoned Sinner look upon any Afflictions, though they are sore and heavy, tho they seem to carry much of God's Anger in them; yet there is nothing of a Curse, or of the nature of a Punishment; the Sting was all of it received into the Body of Christ, and now God's Righteousness will not suffer him to punish them again in their own Persons, whom he hath already punished in their Surety. Imagine what Affliction thou canst. Art thou pinched with Want and Poverty? Doest thou sustain ⟨p. 81⟩Losses in thy Estate, in thy Relations? Art thou tormented with Pains, weakened by Diseases, and will all these bring Death upon thee at the last? Yet, O Soul, if thy Sins are Pardoned, here is nothing of a Curse, or Punishment in all this, Justice is already satisfied by Christ's bearing the Curse of the Law for thee; Come what will come, it shall not hurt thee; Afflictions are all weak and weaponless, they are only the Corrections of a Loving Father, for the manifestation of his Holiness, and for thy Eternal Gain and Advantage. Very sad is the Condition of Guilty Sinners, for whether they know it or not, there is not the least Affliction, not the least Gripe or Pain, not the least slight, or inconsiderable Cross, but it is a Punishment inflicted by God, upon them, for the Guilt of their Sins; God is now a beginning to satisfy his Justice, and these are sent by him to Arrest and Seize on them;
Secondly, God inflicts no Chastisements upon those whom he hath pardon'd, for the satisfaction of his Justice: and therefore they are not Curses, nor properly Punishments, but only Corrections and Fatherly Chastisements. Christ hath satisfied the demands of Justice for their Sins, and God is more just, than to exact ⟨p. 80⟩double satisfaction for the same Offence, one in Christ's Punishment, and another in theirs. The Apostle tells us, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. It is not the Evils that we suffer, that makes them Curses, or Punishments, be they never so great; but only the Ordination of these Evils to the satisfaction of Divine Justice upon us. And therefore Christ in Scripture is said to be made a Curse, not simply because he suffered, but because he was adjudged to his Sufferings, that thereby satisfaction might be made unto the Justice of God. Hence therefore with what calmness and peace may a Pardoned Sinner look upon any Afflictions, though they are sore and heavy, tho they seem to carry much of God's Anger in them; yet there is nothing of a Curse, or of the nature of a Punishment; the Sting was all of it received into the Body of Christ, and now God's Righteousness will not suffer him to punish them again in their own Persons, whom he hath already punisht in their Surety. Imagine what Affliction thou canst. Art thou pinched with Want and Poverty? Doest thou sustain ⟨p. 81⟩Losses in thy Estate, in thy Relations? Art thou tormented with Pains, weakned by Diseases, and will all these bring Death upon thee at the last? Yet, O Soul, if thy Sins are Pardon'd, here is nothing of a Curse, or Punishment in all this, Justice is already satisfied by Christ's bearing the Curse of the Law for thee; Come what will come, it shall not hurt thee; Afflictions are all weak and weaponless, they are only the Corrections of a Loving Father, for the manifestation of his Holiness, and for thy Eternal Gain and Advantage. Very sad is the Condition of Guilty Sinners, for whether they know it or not, there is not the least Affliction, not the least Gripe or Pain, not the least slight, or inconsiderable Cross, but it is a Punishment inflicted by God, upon them, for the Guilt of their Sins; God is now a beginning to satisfie his Justice, and these are sent by him to Arrest and Seize on them;
