A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

2. Sin being pardoned, we are freed from the Penalties of Sin, viz. the Evils after Sin. Sin hath a long train of Judgments, all which are done away when Sin is pardoned. It will not stand with the Honour of his Mercy to forgive the Debt, and yet to require Payment; it is a mocking to say, I forgive the whole Debt, and yet to expect part of Payment. Certainly God forgiveth us our Debts, as we are bound to forgive others; so we are bid to pray, Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors. Now we are bound to forgive them wholly, and not in part: It would not stand with God's Justice to exact the Debt twice, of Us, and of our Surety. Isa. 53.4. Surely he hath born our Griefs, and carried our Sorrows.

Obj. But we are still subject to Corruption and Misery, the Miseries of the present Life, and Death hereafter.

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