(1.) An eminent instance thereof in his inflicting that punishment that was due to our sins, on the person of Christ our Surety. It was, indeed, the highest act of condescending grace that he was willing to be charged with, or to have the iniquity of his people laid upon him; but it was the greatest display of vindictive justice, that he was accordingly punished for it, as _he is said to be made sin for us, who knew no sin_, 2 Cor. v. 21. and accordingly God gives a commission to the sword of his justice, to awake and exert itself, in an uncommon manner, against him, _the man his fellow_, Zech. xiii. 7. In this instance, satisfaction is not only demanded, but fully given, in which it differs from all the other displays of vindictive justice; but of this, more will be considered under some following answers.[60] (2.) The vindictive justice of God punishes sin in the persons of finally impenitent sinners in hell, where a demand of satisfaction is perpetually made, but can never be given, which is the reason of the eternity of the punishment inflicted, which is called, _everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power_, 2 Thes. i. 9. this we shall also have occasion to insist on more largely, under a following an answer.[61] In these two instances, punishment is taken in a strict and proper sense: but there is, indeed, another sense, in which many evils are inflicted for sins committed, which, though frequently called punishments, yet the word is taken in a less proper sense, to wit, when believers, who are justified upon the account of the satisfaction which Christ has given for their sins, are said to be punished for them; as when it is said, _Thou, our God, hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve_, Ezra ix. 13. and _if his children forsake my law, and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him_, Psal. lxxxix. 30-31. and the prophet, speaking of some, for whom God would execute judgment, and be favourable to them in the end, so that they should behold his righteousness; yet he represents them, as _bearing the indignation of the Lord, because they had sinned against him_, Micah vii. 9. And, as these evils are exceedingly afflictive, being oftentimes attended with a sad apprehension and fear of the wrath of God; so they are called punishments, because sin is the cause of them: yet they differ from punishment in its most proper sense, as but now mentioned, in that, though justice inflicts evils on them for sin, yet it doth not herein demand satisfaction, for that is supposed to have been given, inasmuch as they are considered as justified; and, to speak with reverence, it is not agreeable to the nature of justice to demand satisfaction twice. Nevertheless, it is one thing for God really to demand it, and another