A88592:405
The souls cordial in two treatises. I. Teaching how to be eased of the…The souls cordiall in two treatises. I. Teaching how to be eased of the…
The souls cordial in two treatises. I. Teaching how to be eased of the guilt of sin. II. Discovering advantages by Christs ascension. The third volum. / By that faithful labourer in the Lords vineyard Mr. Christopher Love, pastor of Lawrence Jury, London.The souls cordiall in two treatises. I. Teaching how to be eased of the guilt of sin. II. Discovering advantages by Christs ascension. The third volum. / By that faithfull labourer in the Lords vineyard Mr. Christopher Love, pastor of Lawrence Jury, London.
London: printed for Nathaniel Brooke, 1653
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thirdly and chiefly, It is apparent from the Scriptures, that pardoned sinners may be punished for their sins. Would not this be partial for a father to beat the servant for a fault, yet not beat the child for a worse fault? Now beloved, the Lord will not leave such a plea as this in any wicked mans heart. In all the kingdoms of the world, where sword, where pestilence, where famine, and where plagues have been, the good have fallen with the bad; the righteous have fallen by the sword, as well as the wicked: the reason is, that the world shall not say that he is a partial God. Now to satisfy and to establish your thoughts in this point, I shall give you two express testimonies in the Scripture, that God doth punish his people for sin, though their sins be pardoned. The one is of David, 2 Sam. 12.14. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee, shall surely dye. I will punish ⟨p. 163⟩thee in thy child, I will pardon thy sin, yet I will punish thy sin: so likewise in 2 Sam. 7.14, 15. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, &c. A promise to Solomon, I will be his father, and he shall be my son: but, if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with rods. And the Psalmist, when he quotes this expression, refers it to all the godly, Psal. 89.31, 32. If they break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. It was not only true of Solomon, but it is spoken of all the Church, If they commit iniquity, I will chastise them with rods. O beloved, here a Solomon may be chastened with rods if he commits iniquity: nay, not only one man, but all the Church, Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. If God be severe, it is with his own people to make them smart for sin: he may spare wicked men, and not punish them here, because he hath his hell for them hereafter: but this shall be all the hell of a godly man, and all their punishment. I, but this is Old Testament, and thus the Antinomians take off, and evade this Scripture: but