depart into everlasting fire, and into everlasting torment," Matt. xxv. 41, 46, and that "their worm shall not die, and that their fire shall not be quenched," Mark ix. 44. “The heathens do not know God," saith Paul, 1 Thess. iv. 5. Now "God will take vengeance in flaming fire on them who do not know him, as well as on them, who do not obey the gospel," 2 Thess. i 8. The men of Sodom and Gomorrah, who were heathens, and not of the family of Abraham, nor in the covenant, "suffer even until this day the vengeance of eternal fire," Jude vrs. 7. Surely the apostle doth not mean the fire by which they were consumed, since that was not the eternal fire, for it doth not burn any more.

Behold in this manner doth God punish sins; but doth he punish only actual sins thus? and not original sin also? surely he is displeased with that also, and will punish it with temporal and eternal judgments; for must not young children, who have only original, and not actual sins, suffer many sorrows, yea, death itself? and are not these miseries a punishment of their original sin? we may not think that these miseries are not inflicted upon them by God, nor that God visits them therewith, without regard to any sinfulness or punishment; for we should then deny either the providence of God, or his mercy; but may we think that children who die without committing any actual sins are punished for ever and damned? We must speak cautiously here. It is certain, that the children of believing parents are received with their parents into covenant with God, according to Gen. xvii. 7. Acts ii. 39, and are therefore called "holy" 1 Cor. vi. 14, and "the kingdom of God is promised to them," Mat. xix. 13, 14, 15. See our exposition of infant baptism, Lord's Day 27 But this is not the subject of inquiry here, but whether God is displeased with the original sin of children, and whether he will punish it, as the instructor speaks? and truly the word of God teaches us this, when it saith that "the whole world," and therefore children a so" are guilty before God," Rom. iii. 19. We are also "children of wrath by nature," Eph. ii. 3. Children are sometimes punished with their parents, who are punished eternally, as we see in the children of the first world, who perished in the flood with their parents, "who are in prison," 1 Peter iii. 19, and this grievous judgment befell them on account of original sin also, according to Gen. vi. 5, 6, 7. Were not children punished in the fire of Sodom and Gomorrah? and do not these suffer even until this day "the punishment of eternal fire?" Jude vrs. 7. *

Our author doth not assert here absolutely, that any infants are actually fost, but he only argues from certain passages of scripture, with respect te

Because original sin is a punishment of Adam's sin, therefore the Remonstrants assert that God doth not punish original sin in this manner; since one punishment would then be unjustly punished with another. But original sin is not only a punishment by a righteous imputation of Adam's guilt, but it is also an inherent depravity, rendering man liable to punishment from his birth: he is called indeed "a transgressor from the womb," Isaiah xlviii. 8. We must humble ourselves on account of it, with David, Psalm li. 5, and with him seek for the pardon of it, and God punisheth one sin in other instances with another, which sin is then again justly punished.

It is contrary to the word of God, as we will show on the seventh Lord's Day, that God hath received all mankind, who fell in Adam, and therefore children also into favour, and that he doth not consequently punish original sin. We do not speak here of the covenant of grace, into which some children are received, but of the covenant of works, and of the manner in which God punisheth the posterity of Adam on account of the breach of this covenant. Doth God receive all men graciously into a general covenant of grace, he will nevertheless, even according to the opinion of the Remonstrants, punish many of them; for they teach that every individual of mankind will not be eternally happy.

It is true God forgave the sin of Adam, when he promised him the seed of the woman. but it doth not follow therefrom, that he forgave the whole human race, who had sinned in him, that sin, and

this matter, in such a manner, as to show, that we must not presume to decide positively, that all infants are saved; neither doth the catechism, or any other standard of our church declare absolutely, that any infants, who die before they have committed actual sins, are damned, but only with the word of God, that we are by nature children of wrath, and that unless a person be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God and that those who die in their natural, or unregenerate state suffer not only for actual sins, but also for their original, or birth sin. We cannot indeed tell, but that it may please God, of his infinite compassion, to regenerate all those chrildren, whom he takes out of the world before they have committed actual sins. Leading divines have differed in their opinions concerning the future condition of infants. But although we cannot decide positively what the actual state of infants may be after this life, nevertheless Christians in general have always conceived, that we have greater encouragement from scripture to hope well of infants, who die within the pale of the church, than of those who die without that pale, since the former are entitled to the promises, and therefore may be bapuzed, but the latter have no express promise, and therefore may not be baptized. Those Christians who have conceived that any children were lost, have always holden that there was a great difference between the unhappiness of such, and of persons who have committed actual sins.

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that he doth not punish them for it; for if God forgave him his per sonal sin, he did not therefore forgive the whole human race that sin, unless Adam were the head of the whole human race in the covenant of grace, as well as in the covenant of works, which no man can say, who holds that Christ is the head of the covenant of grace, according to Rom. v. 15-19. 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22, 49.

But how is God displeased with sin? "terribly," saith the instructor. Therefore the anger of God is likened to the most terrible things, to wit, to "a fire which burns to the lowest hell," Deut. xxxii. 22. to "instruments of death, a sharp sword, a bent bow and arrows," Psalm vii. 11, 12, 13, to "a grievous whirlwind from the Lord." Jer. xxiii. 19, to the "dregs" of a poisonous cup, Psalm lxxv. 8. Jer. xxv. 15, 16, and to the raging of a "fierce lion, leopard and bear," Hosea xiii. 7, 8. There are also many examples of God's terrible anger. We will not speak now of the dreadful judgments that befell the old world, Sodom and the seditious company of Korah, see only how even the most holy men have roared under a sense of God's anger. How was Job forced to complain of "the arrows of the Almighty," chap. vi. 4. Heman was "afflicted and ready to die from his youth up,', &c. Psalm lxxxviii. 15-19. How grievously the Son of God himself was oppressed by the wrath of God we may see from his bitter complaints in the garden, and on the cross, and the distress of heaven and earth, which seemed to suffer with him, and on account of him, Matt. xxvi. 37-44. chap. xxvii. 45-54, And when God attacks impenitent sinners, how doth it affright them, and what trembling siezes on them, saying, "Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" Isaiah xxxiii. 14. Only represent to yourselves how sadly the damned weep with their eyes, how they gnash their teeth, how they gnaw their tongues, wring their hands, how they seek for death in vain, and blaspheme the God of heaven. We can also conceive that God is terribly displeased, when we consider that he is not deScient in wisdom to contrive terrible punishments, nor in power to execute them upon those who reproach his name. He denounceth his curse against the least sin, Gal. iii. 10. Many Bethshemites were punished with death, because they looked inquisitively into the ark, and Uzza, because he laid hold of it in an indiscreet manner, 1 Sam. vi. 19, 20. 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7. When we add to this that God will punish sin eternally, we may then also imagine how terribly God is displeased with sin.

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Since God is so terribly displeased with sin, he will also " tainly" punish it, as he hath spoken, Deut. xxvii. 26. Gal. iii. 10.

"Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them." This is the threatening of the covenant of works: for Paul proves from this sentence of cursing, that "as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse," Gal. iii. 10; to which curse pertain likewise all the threatenings denounced in the word of God against the unconverted sinner; for it is the law only that worketh wrath," Rom. iv. 15, and therefore this sentence of the curse is very properly referred by the instructor to original, as well as to actual sin, inasmuch as both belong to the covenant of works. When this curse was announced to the Israelites, with whom God had already established his covenant of grace, Deut. xxxvi. 16, it was not, because he entered into a covenant of works with them, but because he chose to exhibit the broken covenant of works to them by the legal administration of the covenant of grace, in order that he might convince them, and urge them to the Messiah, who was to come. See Gal. iii. 10-24. When God saith this, we must also believe it, and be assured that he will certainly punish sin; for he is true in his threatenings as well as in his promises; therefore Samuel said with respect to the judgment denounced against Saul, "He who is the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man that he should repent," 1 Sam. xv. 29. When the curses were denounced from mount Ebal, "all the people should say Amen," Deut. xxvii. 13-26.

It is also "necessary," that God should punish sin, not only on account of his truth, since he hath said it, but also because it is natural to him; for it doth not proceed merely from his free good pleasure, but also from his nature, that he doth punish sin. For (1) "sin is committed against the most high majesty of God," his glory and sovereignty, which we must acknowledge, and also that we have to do with him. All this is denied and rejected by the sinner, when he sinneth as though God were not worthy to be feared, loved and served; and so his most high majesty is dishonoured. Since now God loves himself, and therefore also his glorious majesty, with the greatest love, he cannot but be jealous of sin; and what is the jealousy of God, but an avenging punishment, whereby he restores his injured majesty to its proper lustre ? "He will by no means clear the guilty. His name is jealous, and he is a jealous God," Exod. xxxiv. 7, 14. Nahum i. 1, 2. Therefore it is said, that he is glorified, when he punishes sin, Numb. xiv. 21, 22, 23, and that he "comforts" himself, when he taketh vengeance, Isaiah i. 24. (2) The holiness of God hath a natural aversion from the sinner on acount of his sin, and it is natural to God to hate sin:"" He is of purer eyes

than to behold evil," Hab. i. 13 Can he therefore, who is holiness itself, exercise communion with the sinner, as he would do, if he did not punish him, but showed him favour! If it were possible for him not to hate sin, it would be possible for him to love it. How contrary this is to the holy nature of God, how averse he is from sin, and on account of it from the sinner, is known to all. What is God's hatred and aversion from sin and the sinner? is it not the greatest punishment? see Psalm v. 5, 6, 7. 2 Thess. i. 9. If God did not punish sin, he would then seem to be "like the sinner," Psalm 1. 21, but when he punishes sin, he then shows that he is holy, Lev. x 1, 2, 3. Ezek. xxviii. 22. (3) The justice of God, as judge of the whole earth requires also, that he should punish sin, surely the judiciary punishment of sin is an act not only of anger, but also of justice, "God is indeed a righteous judge, and a God who is angry every day," Psalm vii. 12. cxxix. 4. Rom. ii. 5. Is not this punitive justice of God as judge, natural to him, as well as his other natural perfections, which he cannot deny? can we indeed conceive of God, as contrary to this judiciary justice, and as a judge, who is not righteous? "The Gentiles know the judgment of God; that they who commit such things are worthy of death," Rom. i. 32. How do the Gentiles know this? by a revelation? no, but by the light of nature, and by their own consciences, whereby "they do by nature the things contained in the law," Rom. ii. 14, 15. Now it is certain that they cannot know this judgment of God by the light of nature, if the punitive justice of God be not natural to him: for that which depends upon the free good pleasure of God, and upon his government no man can know by the light of nature, but only by revelation. If God did not punish sin, he would not do right, as a judge, either to himself or to the sinful creature, and therefore God is said to declare his righteousness when he punishes sin, Rom. iii. 25, 26. (4) The authority of God as a lawgiver, by which he requireth obedience of his rational creatures is natural to him: he cannot discharge man of his duty and obligation to keep his commands: "On account of his incomparable glory he may justly require that every one should fear him," Jer. 1. 6, 7 If God can suffer the sinner to remain unpunished, he can then also discharge him of his obligation to obedience; for when he did not punish the sinner, he would say that he could endure that man should not obey him, which surely cannot be.

Let no man say that punishment is a strange work of God, and is not natural to him, because it is said, Isaiah xxviii. 21. "The Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley * Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring