to pass his act, his strange act ;" for the Socinians and others, who object this to us, must answer this objection themselves, inasmuch as they say that it is natural to God to punish the impenitent sinner, who persists in sinning without reformation; yet they will not allow this with regard to every sin, as they do with regard to impenitence, when nevertheless impenitence is punishable only on account of its sinfulness, and not on account of its duration; for duration is of itself not sinful, but in several instances commendable. With regard to Isaiah xxviii. 21, we do not read there, that God's work and act of punishing is strange to God, but only that it is strange and to whom should it be strange? to God? no: but to the transgressors, on whom God would inflict a strange and unusual punishment.

As God punishes sin terribly, certainly, and necessarily. so he punishes it "justly." In order that the punishment may be just, it must be equal to the sin, and not exceed it: and so a just punishment is that "recompence of an errour which is meet," Rom. i. 27 ii. 6. Now sin is committed against the most high majesty of God: but sin is grievous in proportion to the dignity of the person, against whom it is committed. See Job xxxiv. 18, 19. 1 Sam. ii. 25. Since now sin is committed against the infinite God, and his most high majesty, therefore sin is also, in a certain respect, infinite, to wit, with respect to the infinite object of sin: "and therefore the justice of God requireth that sin, which is committed against the most high majesty of God, be punished with extreme, that is, with everlasting punishment, both of body and soul." Since now it doth not please God to annihilate the sinner, but to suffer him to exist for ever, therefore it is also an act of justice to punish him for ever with a sensible punishment, because he hath sinned against God, who will exist for ever, and because he will continue to sin, on account of his abominableness, which will cleave to him for ever.

II. The careless sinner, unwilling to be disturbed by the terribleness and justice of the punishment, sooths and hardens himself with the mercy of God, as if that would overcome and swallow up his justice; in which he is strengthened by the Socinians, when they alledge the mercy of God against the doctrine of his punishing justice, asking, "Is not God then also merciful?" We allow that God is indeed merciful, as well as just; but God will not exercise mercy to the disparagement of his justice. To illustrate this we will explain wherein the mercy of God consists, and in what manner it is exercised, and we will then show that it doth not militate against his strict justice.

Mercy in man is a sorrowful perturbation of mind, on account of

the suffering of another, disposing him to rescue the sufferer. But the Lord God being independent, simple, unchangable, and perfectly happy, cannot be affected with such an agitation and perturbation of mind: therefore, when it is said of him, after the manner of men, that he is merciful, it must be understood in a sense which is wor. thy of the nature of God; and so the mercy of God is only his goodness to the miserable, which he exerciseth, either by bestowing common benefits even upon the vilest sinners, as Jesus saith, Luke vi. 35, &c. "He is kind to the unthankful, and to the evil. Be ye, therefore, merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Or God exercises his mercy by conferring special and saving benefits in Christ upon the elect. Hear what Paul saith of this, Eph. ii. 45. "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ."

But although God is, so merciful, he is also just: and, he requires that sin should be punished and his mercy doth not abolish his vindictive justice; for the attributes of God cannot militate, one against another, whereby one would detract from the lustre of another; but one must increase the lustre of the other: therefore, the justice and mercy of God are joined together to his praise. See Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. Psalm cxi. 3, 4. cxii. 4. cxvi. 5.

When this is rightly considered, we will see, (a) that there is no force in this objection to deny the vindictive justice of God for although God is merciful to the unthankful and evil, bestowing common benefits on them, he will nevertheless punish them severely, if not in this life, yet after this life. Common mercy is not shown to them in order to exempt them from eternal punishment, but it only moderates their punishment for a season, in order to afford them a testimony of the divine goodness, and invite them to repentance. 2 Peter, iii. 9. "that they may be without excuse." Rom. i. 19, 20. "Do they despise the riches of the goodness, and forbearance, and bongsuffering of God, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth them to repentance, they do after their hardness and impenitent hearts, treasure up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." Rom. ii. 4, 5. Doth he show his special mercy to the salvation of the elect, this supposeth the satisfaction of his justice by Christ, whereby he hath borne their punishment. Isaiah liii. 4. 5. Rom. iii. 25, 26.(b) We may also learn from what hath been said before, that this objection proceeds from a mistaken notion of the divine mercy, and of man's sinful misery. The Socinians imagine that God, as well as man, is subject to the passions of anger, sorrow, and so also of mercy; and

R

that he is moved by the misery of men, to abstain from punishing him, and to deliver him. But such agitations of mind militate against the independence, simplicity, unchangableness, and happiness of God; and besides this, the sinful misery of man is not adapted to excite mercy and compassion, whereby God should be moved to deliver him; but it is a misery which excites hatred and detestation, and thus calls for the righteous anger of God. Psalm v. 4, 5, 6. Hab. i. 13. See how loathsome the sinner is described, Ezek. xvi 1.5. How can God be moved by such a misery to compassion? Must he not remove the worker of iniquity from his presence? The way of the sinner is before God like the uncleanness of a menstruous woman; therefore he pours his fury out upon him." Ezek. xxxvi. 17, 18. Can any man from pity take up a toad that hath been trodden under foot, and that wallows in its blood and poisonous spittle, lick it, or kiss it, in order to heal it? surely no; he cannot look upon it, but must remove it from his sight. Much less can the holy God, who is holiness itself, embrace in his special kindness and love, the hateful sinner, without a satisfaction to his justice (e) We add also, that this objection is out of its place. God is merciful in the covenant of grace, but not in the covenant of works, which the sinner hath broken. Mercy hath no place in the broken covenant of works, but only justice; "The law worketh wrath." Rom. iv. 15. All the mercy whereby God honours his people with saving grace, proceeds from the covenant of grace which supposeth the death of the Mediator, and therefore God's vindictive justice. Heb. ix. 15. Heb. ix. 15. Since now this Lord's day treats of the righteous judgment of God, on account of our breach of the covenant of works, therefore the objection from the mercy of God in the covenant of Grace is out of its proper place here.

APPLICATION.

In this manner do the Socinians deny by their doctrine the terrible displeasure of God, by which he punisheth sin, temporally and eternally, certainly and justly: but this is denied by you also, who have not yet fled to Christ by faith and conversion, in order to obtain his righteousness. For,

1. Ye do not yet know the demerit of your sins. If ye knew it, and believed the terrible displeasure of God on account of your sins, would ye not then fear and tremble more because of your sins, and those terrible punishments which ye must expect? would ye be so careless, and "when ye do evil, skip for joy?" Jer. xi. 15.

2. When God punishes you in this life with many and grievous calamities, ye do not then perceive that God doth this on account of your sins and impenitence: ye look not at him who smites you, but think that time and chance bring these things forth ye think that they come to pass, as though "afflictions came forth out of the earth, and trouble sprang up out of the ground," Job v. 6. And so ye say with your deeds, "The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil," Zeph. i. 12.

3. How often do ye harden yourselves against God's terrible judg ments! for when he smites you, ye do not relent; and it doth not induce you to break off your iniquities: but ye start up against his procedure, and add to your abominable sins, like "Ahaz, who in the time of his trouble, trespassed still more against the Lord," 2 Chron. xxviii. 22. "Doth God smite you, ye are not grieved; deth he consume you, ye refuse to receive correction: ye make your faces harder than a rock, and refuse to return," Jer. v. 3. Doth a fear for the wrath to come ever take hold of you, it is irksome to you. ye endeavour to stifle your consciences, and to "cover your transøressions like Adam, by hiding your iniquity in your bosom," Job xxxi. 33. Gen. iii. 12.

4. Ye flatter and deceive yourselves, thinking that ye will not be punished so severely: "When ye hear the words of this curse ye do then bless yourselves in your hearts, saying, We shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our hearts," Deut. xxix. 19. Ye think these threatenings have been denounced so long, nothing will come of them, like "the scoffers in the last days, 2 Peter iii. 4. If ye dare not be so wicked, ye put the evil day far off, and think, the vision is yet for many days, and a man will not be miserable before the time; but, friends, when God defers, he doth not then desert, and when he defers, it ought not to render you more careless and wicked, but it ought to "lead you to repentance," Rom. ii. 4. 2 Peter iii. 9. Dotli fear beset you, ye banish it, and flatter yourselves with the mercy of God, and with the sufferings of Christ for sin. But is God merciful to you with his saving favour? and hath Jesus suffered for your sins? he hath surely suffered for none but those "who turn from transgression," Isaíah lix. 20. Do ye hope that ye will turn yet? when? when this or that opportunity occurs? but perhaps ere such an opportunity occurs, "the decree of God will bring forth, the day will pass as the chaff, the fierce anger of the Lord will come upon you," Zeph. ii. 2. Ye say, We hope not; but your hope is vain, and ungrounded, it will forsake you. Do ye suffer many afflictions, and do ye comfort yourselves with a hope, that

these will be the full measure of your sufferings, and that ye will not be obliged to suffer hereafter? this is nothing but deceit; your sufferings in this world will not diminish aught from your eternal punishment: they are only the beginnings of eternal sorrows. Or do ye imagine, that ye are delivered from the wrath of God, because ye are not so wicked as this or that person, but are civil and devout? But was not the Pharisee so virtuous as this, and did not "he go down to his house unjustified?” Luke xviii. 10—14. When ye have no more cloaks for your shame, when they have all been taken from you, and your abominableness and misery have been discovered to you, ye then think, it would be truly sad, that ye should be abandoned to wretchedness; and because your self-love will not suffer you to think the worst of yourselves, ye imagine that this will not befall you. But how exceedingly will ye be disappointed, when God will attack you, while ye do not expect it, with his almighty anger, and not as a man, when ye will bewail yourselves too late, and "mourn at the last, saying, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof? and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me? Prov. v. 11, 12, 13. Do ye ask, What shall we nevertheless do? will ye indeed do aught? if ye will, come then hither, and I will instruct you. (1) Behold your utter abominableness and woful misery: ye have original and actual sins: the terrible wrath of God lieth upon you, and ye have reason to expect that God will attack you shortly with his fiery indignation. Because ye do not attend to this, therefore ye remain hardened, careless, and do not seek for any real recovery. That ye may therefore awake, behold the greatness of your misery, pause, and endeavour to understand it, that ye may be penetrated with grief and concern, "Examine yourselves strictly, yea, examine yourselves strictly, O ye listless people," Zeph. ii. 1. See Jer. ii. 19, 23.

2. Beware of accusing the Lord of excessive severity, or of injustice: "Is God unrighteous, who taketh vengeance? God forbid : for then how shall God judge the world?" Rom. iii. 5, 6. Not only David said, Psalm cxix. 37. "Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments ;" but even the hardened Pharaoh cried out, Exod. ix. 27. "The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." Do not do less than this, that the Lord may not compel you by his mighty displeasure to such an acknowledgment.

3. Earnestly endeavour to be delivered from your great misery. To be unconcerned whether we shall be saved or damned, to do nothing in order to escape damnation, and obtain ́ salvation, is cer tainly the greatest madness, of which a human being is capable<