The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 1 · sin · Question 10
Queſt. 10. Doth God leave this ſtubbornneſſe and falling away of man unpuniſhed?
Anſw. No: but is angry in moſt dreadfull manner,aGen. 2.27. Rom. 5.12. as well for the ſins wherein we are borne, as alſo for thoſe which our ſelves commit; and in moſt juſt judgement puniſheth them with temporall and eternall puniſhmentsbPſal. 20. and 21. and 5.6. Nah. 1.2. Exod. 20.5. and 34.7. Rom. 1.18. Epheſ. 5.6., as himſelfe pronounceth; Curſed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them.cDeut. 25.26. Gal. 3.10.
The Explication.
IN this queſtion is handled the other part of mans miſery, even the evill of paine and puniſhment: and it is ſaid, that God doth moſt grievouſly, moſt juſtly, and moſt certainly puniſh ſin. Moſt grievouſly: that is, with preſent and eternall paines for the greatneſſe of ſin, becauſe the infinite good is offended thereby. Moſt justly; becauſe every, even the leaſt, ſin violateth Gods Law; and therefore by the order of Gods juſtice meriteth eternall puniſhment and abjection. Most certainly; becauſe God is true, and never changeth his ſentence denounced in the Law: Curſed is hee that continueth not in all, &c. Object. But the wicked flouriſh here, Galat. 3.10.and carry many things cleere without puniſhment: Therefore all ſins are not puniſhed. Anſ. Yea, but they ſhall at length be paid home for them; yea,How the wicked are puniſhed in this life. and in this life they are puniſhed: 1. In conſcience, with whoſe gnawings the wicked are tortured. 2. In thoſe good things which they uſe with greateſt pleaſure; and verily ſo much the more, how much the leſſe they know and acknowledge themſelves to be puniſhed: For it is a moſt grievous puniſhment, not to receive Gods gifts in reſpect of Gods promiſe, not to know the right uſe of them, neither with his gifts to receive a will and ability alſo to uſe them well: For if theſe things concurre not in the fruition of good things, mens ſins and puniſhment muſt needs be the more increaſed and exaſperated; and thereby, except there come converſion, eternall deſtruction or death is certainly purchaſed. 3. They are afflicted with other puniſhments alſo moſt grievous oftentimes, yet with more grievous in the life to come, where it ſhall be a continuall death, not to be dead. Object. 2. God made not evill, and death: Therefore hee will not ſo grievouſly puniſh ſin with them. Anſw. He made them not in the beginning; yet when ſin was committed, he in his juſt judgement inflicted death as a puniſhment on ſinners, according to his commination, Thou ſhalt die the death. Gen. 2.17. Amos 3.6.Whence it is alſo ſaid: Shall there be evill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? Obj. 3. If God puniſh ſin with preſent and everlaſting puniſhments, he puniſheth the ſame twice, and is unjuſt; but he is not unjuſt, neither puniſheth he the ſame offence twice: Therefore he will not puniſh ſin with temporall and eternall paines. Anſ. The Major is denied: For the puniſhment which God inflicteth on the wicked in this life, and in the life to come, is but one puniſhment, but hath ſeverall parts: For preſent puniſhments are but the beginning… of everlaſting; neither are they a diſtinct or entire puniſhment ſeverally, becauſe they are not ſufficient to ſatisfie Gods juſtice. Object. 4. If God puniſh ſins with eternall puniſhments, then either all of us periſh, or Gods justice is not ſatisfied. Anſ. If God ſhould puniſh our ſins in us with eternall puniſhments, wee ſhould all periſh indeed: but he doth not puniſh them in us with eternall paines, neither yet is his juſtice impeached or violated, becauſe hee puniſheth our ſins in Chriſt with a puniſhment temporall, but yet equivalent to everlaſting. This equability doth the Goſpel adde unto the Law. Repl. If he puniſh them in Chriſt, and be juſt, he ought no further to puniſh them in us: Therefore the godly are unjustly afflicted in this life. Anſ. The afflictions of the godly are not puniſhments and ſatisfactions for their ſinnes, but only fatherly chaſtiſements, and the Croſſe, whereby they are brought to humility. Which that it may be the better underſtood, we are here neceſſarily to ſpeak of afflictions or calamities: but firſt, the next queſtion is to be expounded.