An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

and he is so far from being just, that he is cruel and savage, who will remit no offence, till he hath satisfied his revenge: That part of Justice, which consists in punishing offenders, was always looked on as an instrument of Government; and therefore the exacting or remitting punishment was referred to the wisdom of Governors, who might spare or punish as they saw reason for it. Unto which I answer, The Comparison between God and Man holds not in all things: A Man may renounce his Dominion over his Servant, but God cannot renounce his Dominion over his Creature; that, whilst a Creature, must be subject unto him. A man (saith the Author) is cruel, who will remit no offence till he hath satisfied his revenge: But, I hope, God is not so, who never did, hath or will remit any the least offence without satisfaction; a man may remit a private offence without it, but may a Magistrate remit a public one in all cases? No, surely, sometimes Justice and the Common Good calls for punishment; Deus non vult, ut Princeps ⟨p. 49⟩scelerato Legum publicarum violatori poenam commeritam remittat, saith the Learned Camero: God is here considered as a Magistrate, as the great Judge of the World, and that he cannot remit without satisfaction, is not out of Impotence, or Cruelty, but because of the supreme Perfection of his Justice and Sanctity.

and he is so far from being just, that he is cruel and savage, who will remit no offence, till he hath satisfied his revenge: That part of Justice, which consists in punishing offenders, was always look'd on as an instrument of Government; and therefore the exacting or remitting punishment was referred to the wisdom of Governours, who might spare or punish as they saw reason for it. Unto which I answer, The Comparison between God and Man holds not in all things: A Man may renounce his Dominion over his Servant, but God cannot renounce his Dominion over his Creature; that, whilest a Creature, must be subject unto him. A man (saith the Author) is cruel, who will remit no offence till he hath satisfied his revenge: But, I hope, God is not so, who never did, hath or will remit any the least offence without satisfaction; a man may remit a private offence without it, but may a Magistrate remit a publick one in all cases? No, surely, sometimes Justice and the Common Good calls for punishment; Deus non vult, ut Princeps ⟨p. 49⟩scelerato Legum publicarum violatori poenam commeritam remittat, saith the Learned Camero: God is here considered as a Magistrate, as the great Judge of the World, and that he cannot remit without satisfaction, is not out of Impotence, or Cruelty, but because of the supreme Perfection of his Justice and Sanctity.