confirmed, and that beyond all Contradiction and Evafion, Rev. xxi. 8. The Fearful and Unbelieving, and Abominable, and Murderers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Lyars fhall have their part in that lake that burneth with Fire and Brimftone; which is the fecond Death.

But after all; though the Scripture Teftimonies, upon which this Article is built, be thus clear and evident, yet some men have been fo Profanely and Blafphemously bold, as to queftion the Equity of God's purposes thus plainly revealed. But here, if ever, Solomon's observation is remarkably verified, that * the Inftruction of fools is folly. For if we must be Reasoning about these Divine difpenfations, the Confiftency and Equity of them cannot but be difcerned and owned even by Reason it self, so far at least, as to be more evident and convincing than any thing that can be urged in oppofition to them. For

ift, As hath been obferved, our Sins render us liable to Eternal Punishment,

* Prov. xvi. 22.

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because

because the Majesty of God, against whom they are committed, is Infinite. For even in Humane Societies, an offence against a Magistrate is of a higher nature, and attended with more fevere Punishment, than crimes committed against private Perfons: And fo as the Magiftrate is more Eminent and Honourable, the Injuries or Indignities offer'd to him are still efteemed more Heinous, and have greater punishments annexed to them, in proportion to the Eminency and Honour of the Perfon offended. And therefore, fince our Sins are Rebellion against God, who is infinite in Glory, and Power and all Perfection, the Guilt of them feems to be infinite; and upon this Account, fince we are incapable of undergoing Punishment infinite in Degree, the infinite Duration of it is no more than proportionate to our Guilt.

2ly, Those who die in a State of Impenitence would be actually disobedient and rebellious against God for evermore, if they were not removed out of this Life, the Scene of Action, and by that means rendred incapable of actual Disobedience, which

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which nothing but the want of Power and Opportunity would prevent. And though they be deprived of that Power; yet they are Unalterably confirmed and established in the Habits of fin; they will for ever continue fubject to those finful qualities and difpofitions which they have contracted, qualities that are directly opposed to the Purity and Holinefs of the Divine Nature. And upon this account, their punishment is, to all intents and purposes, reconcileable with God's Juftice, which, in a state of Punishment, not of Probation, does require the Execution of Ve..geance upon his Enemies, fo long as they continue fo, and that is for ever and ever.

3ly, The Eternity of punishment is plainly confiftent with the Goodness of God upon this account, that he hath fet before us Life and Death; the Happinefs propofed is, at leaft, equal to the Mifery denounced, and we may chufe our own Condition. Though Mankind was become Juftly obnoxious to God's Wrath; yet he hath freely and graciously restored us to an Opportunity of avoidC 3 ing

ing Mifery, and obtaining Unconceivable Happiness at his own right hand for evermore. And this is properly the perfection of Goodnefs: But Goodness and Mercy themselves cannot fave those, that will not comply with the terms of Goodness and Mercy.

These Answers, or fuch as these, at leaft joyntly confider'd seem abundantly fufficient to fatisfy the Difficulties; though the contrary hath been infinuated in a difcourfe too well known, which was fome years ago publifhed by one, whofe extraordinary Perfonal accomplishments and high Station in the Church do command fo very great Deference, that it may perhaps be thought scarce allowable to mention any part of his Writings otherwise than with Approbation and Applause: But he hath in this particular, to the Disadvantage of the Article, made it very plain, that even the greatest men have their intervals of Misapprehension and Mistake. For he hath firft urged several reasons to deftroy thefe or the like Anfwers, and then undertaken to remove the Difficulties, by fuch folutions

of

of his own, as are so far from answering that end, and confirming the Truth of the Article, that they give manifest occafion to Difbelieve it. All which I fhall take the liberty of examining and of endeavouring to refute.

And firft, he thus reflects upon the first Argument we urge in Vindication of God's Juftice.

First, it is faid by fome, that because fin is Infinite in refpect of the Object against whom it is committed, which is God, therefore it deferves an Infinite punishment. But this, I doubt, will upon examination be found to have more of fubtlety than of folidity in it. 'Tis true indeed, that the Dignity of the Perfon against whom any of fence is committed is a great aggravation of the fault; For which reafon all offences against God are certainly the greatest of all others. But that crimes fhould be hereby heighten'd to an Infinite degree can by no means be admitted, and that for this plain reason, because then the evil and demerit of all fins must neceffarily be equal; for the demerit of no fin can be more than Infinite: And if the demerit of all fins be equal, there