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ceased, when the Only End of those means is already Accomplished.

According to this account therefore, by Eternal punishments, and by the Threatnings of that punishment we are strictly to understand the very fame thing. For mere Threatnings would Influence us to the obfervation of Laws, and that as effectually, though the Evils denounced were never to be Executed, as if they will be really inflicted, upon our difobedience, and are foretold us in order to avoid them, which is the true state of the matter: Mere Threatnings, I fay, would Influence our behaviour, and that equally in both cases; fuppofing the Reality of the evil denounced to be in both cafes equally believed. Now whofoever hath Thought enough to perceive this, (and any man's Thoughts will mount much higher, when in purfuit of fuch discoveries as would infallibly rescue him from all Dread and Solicitude, from all Interruption and Uneafinefs amidst the utmost finful enjoyments) whofoever can thus reflect and thus obferve, that the Actual execution of Eternal punishment

cannot

cannot fecure the observation of Laws, because the obligation of Laws will cease, when all Humane governments and this state of things shall be diffolved, before the Time of Inflicting the torments Denounced; and that Threatnings, fuppofing a Belief of the evil denounced, do with equal prevalency move us to obedience whether the evil fo denounced will really be the confequence of our Disobedience or not; and is, at the fame time, perfuaded, that this great end of government, the obfervation of Laws, is the Only Reason, the Only Foundation of Eternal punishment, will either intirely abandon all Apprehenfions of it, or however, the Belief of it must fit very loose upon him.

But this account is no lefs Falfe than Dangerous. And indeed every Reply, that adds new Force to an Objection inftead of Satisfying and removing it, may, for that very reafon, be juftly fufpected as a Groundless and Falfe account; and the reasonableness of fuch a fufpicion is in this particular plainly exemplified. For even in Humane Adminiftrations, though penalties

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penalties do bear ever so plain and immediate a respect to the obfervation of Laws, yet they are always to be deter-. mined by Juftice, or confiftent with it. And much less fhould we dare to Imagine, that any punishment, especially that which is of greatest moment, that which is Eternal, should be apportion'd by Almighty God in such a manner, that bis fuftice fhould not be concern'd in it. No; the Diftribution of Rewards and Punishments is the proper object of his Juftice, and 'tis as manifest an Absurdity to affirm, that this Attribute fhould not be concern'd in determining the state of future mifery, as that his Power and Wisdom fhould not be concern'd in the Creation of the world, or his Goodness and Mercy in the works of our Redemption.

And therefore, after all the stress that is laid upon fecuring the obfervation of Laws, the true ftate of the matter is nothing but this, which is obvious to every man who understands the first principles of Chriftianity, That God Almighty hath under the Gofpel, pofitively determined a state

of

of Endless misery for all that are disobedient, That this Revelation of his Will. is of most excellent use to fecure the observation of the Commandments, and that if this Revelation does not produce Obedience, the Punishment denounced will certainly follow; which is not denounced and Described in the Gospel only to fright us into Virtue and Goodness, but is ftrictly confiftent with God's Juftice and the proper Effect of it, and will therefore be certainly Executed; unless that should prove true, which this Eminent Author chiefly urgeth to Illustrate and Confirm his fecond Obfervation, namely this, That after all, he that threatens bath fill the power of Execution in his own hands; and be may without any Injury to the party threatned, remit and abate as much as he pleaseth of the punishment that he hath threatned: And because in fo doing he is not worse, but better than his word, no body can find fault, or complain of any Wrong or Injuftice thereby done to him.

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Now 'tis readily granted, that no body can complain of any Wrong or Injustice D 4

done

done to him, fuppofing an Abatement of punishments denounced, or a Total exemption from them; but the Conclufion drawn from this Principle is manifestly Trifling and Falfe. For God's Justice is to be confider'd either with reference to the effects of it upon Us, or with refpect to God himself, as it is, in it's utmoft and Infinite perfection, an Attribute of the Divine Nature, and abfolutely Inseparable from it. With respect to our selves there would be no Injuftice in the utmost conceivable Abatement of Punishment, nor yet in an intire Impunity: For nothing is Unjuft to us but what is Hurtful; and if fo, then there can be no Injuftice done to us, fo long as we suffer no kind of Misery.

The Vanity therefore and Falfeness of this Argument appear even in this, that it proves too much; for it does not with more force conclude against the certainty of Eternal punishments, than it does, that at the General Refurrection a General Indemnity shall be proclaimed, and all Mankind, without diftinction, admitted to the Happiness of Heaven: And yet this Author

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