A 05 The Scriptures teach law God

V. The Scriptures teach that the law of God has a curse: -- which it has not, if future punishment be disciplinary. THE punishment, however long and severe, which shall result in restoring a soul to holiness and an endless heaven, under the kind and faithful administration of its heavenly Father, it would be unsuitable to call “a curse.” The theory of Restorationists is, that mercy, having failed to recover sinners in this world, will go on hereafter, in the same direction, with more vigorous methods, till it succeeds, -- the same undying, unfaltering love pursuing the wanderer, which here never ceased to plead.

Hereafter it will mingle stronger ingredients, and cure the disease of sin. What “ curse “ there is in such loving-kindness, it is hard to see. In this world we experience just this treatment, “ Afflictions sorted, anguish of all sizes; Fine nets and stratagems to catch us in;
and sometimes all the waves and billows go over us. Men are stripped of property, family, health, reputation, and finally they turn to the hand that smites them, grateful that God did not spare the rod for their crying; and they testify that through the loss of all things they have gained eternal bliss. Do they call their afflictions their “ curse “? Have they suffered “the curse of the law “? All the ordinary medicines having failed, the physician brings some extreme remedy and saves the patient. Was that a '' curse “? He amputates the limb, and thus prolongs a precious life. Did he '' curse “ the man in doing so? We must, therefore, expunge large parts of the Bible if future punishment be only a wholesome discipline. “ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” No; he has only redeemed us from a further dispensation of infinite mercy, if punishment be only for discipline; indeed, he prevents the bestowment of a greater proof of love than he himself gave us in dying on the cross; for if, after all his love for us, he will persist in disciplining us in hell, willing to see us suffer that he may finally save us, '' herein is love.” The cross is not the climax of his love, but the lake of fire. How it is in any sense a curse, we fail to see. Christians here never look upon the means of sanctification as “the curse of the law.” The sinner who by the severest discipline is brought to Christ, feels that he thereby escapes '' the curse of the law.” But we cannot find that curse, neither here nor hereafter, unless there be punishment which is not intended for the recovery of the sinner.