Answ. (1.) As to Miseries. The Afflictions of God's People seem to be Punishments, but are not, and differ as much as a Punishment and a Medicine. God acts the part of Physician, not of a Judg; he burneth us, cutteth us, puts us to pain, but not to do us hurt; not to satisfy Vengeance, but to better our Hearts. Hic ure, hic seca, Domine! modo parcas in aeternum. Our Afflictions are troublesome to the Flesh, as Punishments are, we cannot expect full Security, or total Exemption from them. Again, they come not by chance; Affliction doth not spring out of the Dust, but they come by special Dispensation; as Punishments also they do not come by chance, Sin is for the most part the occasion of them. God chasteneth them because they have sinned, as we quench a Brand plucked out of the Burning; or, he warneth them that they may not sin again. The Chastisements of the Godly serve for Examples, as well as the Punishments of the Wicked. But they are not properly Judicial Acts to satisfy the Law; as a Judg taketh no notice of the Repentance of the Delinquent, but of his Fault. They are Acts of Love, and a ⟨p. 167⟩part of God's Family-Discipline. Brambles are not pruned, but Vines; Heb. 12.6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. Bastards are left to live more at large. Again, they are for the exercise of Grace, not for the destruction of our Persons. A Judg doth not punish Offenders because he loveth them, but because the Law requireth it. If Corrections were Punishments, wicked Men should have the greatest share. Heb. 12.10. He chasteneth us for our Profit, that we might be Partakers of his Holiness. A Judg looketh to the Good of the Common-wealth, to keep Authority, and the Majesty of Government, not the Benefit of the Malefactor. 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the World. The Godly are punished here, that they may not be condemned hereafter. The Scripture every-where maketh it a part of our Blessedness; James 1.12. Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation. Phil. 1.29. Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, [Greek or Hebrew]. They are Dispensations of Love.
Answ. (1.) As to Miseries. The Afflictions of God's People seem to be Punishments, but are not, and differ as much as a Punishment and a Medicine. God acts the part of Physician, not of a Judg; he burneth us, cutteth us, puts us to pain, but not to do us hurt; not to satisfy Vengeance, but to better our Hearts. Hic ure, hic seca, Domine! modo parcas in aeternum. Our Afflictions are troublesome to the Flesh, as Punishments are, we cannot expect full Security, or total Exemption from them. Again, they come not by chance; Affliction doth not spring out of the Dust, but they come by special Dispensation; as Punishments also they do not come by chance, Sin is for the most part the occasion of them. God chasteneth them because they have sinned, as we quench a Brand plucked out of the Burning; or, he warneth them that they may not sin again. The Chastisements of the Godly serve for Examples, as well as the Punishments of the Wicked. But they are not properly Judicial Acts to satisfy the Law; as a Judg taketh no notice of the Repentance of the Delinquent, but of his Fault. They are Acts of Love, and a ⟨p. 167⟩part of God's Family-Discipline. Brambles are not pruned, but Vines; Heb. 12.6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. Bastards are leftto live more at large. Again, they are for the exercise of Grace, not for the destruction of our Persons. A Judg doth not punish Offenders because he loveth them, but because the Law requireth it. If Corrections were Punishments, wicked Men should have the greatest share. Heb. 12.10. He chasteneth us for our Profit, that we might be Partakers of his Holiness. A Judg looketh to the Good of the Common-wealth, to keep Authority, and the Majesty of Government, not the Benefit of the Malefactor. 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the World. The Godly are punished here, that they may not be condemned hereafter. The Scripture every-where maketh it a part of our Blessedness; Iames 1.12. Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation. Phil. 1.29. Vnto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. They are Dispensations of Love.
