17Z Èxpofition of tha G x A Pal I. the temporalpunifhments that were iniiéìed on the transgreffors of it. But in the Gofpel thenature of this curfe is explained, and what itconfitteth in is made manifeft. For as Eternallife was obfcurtly only promifed in the Old Teftament, though pro- 'tiifed, fo death eternal underthecome andwrath ofGod was only obfcurely threat- ned therein, though threatned. And therefore as litand immortality Were brought to light by the Gofel } fo death and hell, the punithment of in undet the wrath ofGod, are more fully declared therein. TheNature of thejudgment to come, the duration of the penalties to be inliied on unbelievers, with fuch intimations of the nature and kind of them as our underltandings are able to receive, are fully and frequently in- fittedon in the New Teltamene, whereas they are very obfcurely only gathered out ofthe Writings ofthe Old. a. The punifhment threatned in the Gofpel is, as unto degrees, greater and morefore than that which wasannexed to the meet tranfgreflion of thefielt Covenant. Hence the Apoftle calls it, death untodeath, 2 Cor. 2. 16. by reafon of the fore aggravations which the firftfentence of death will receive from the wrathdue unto the contempt ofthe Gofpel. Separation fromGod under eternal punifhment was unqueftionably due to the fin of/Main, and fo confequently unto every tranfgreffion againft the firJJ Covenant,Gen. 2..17. Rom. 5. 12, 13, 1q.. But yet this hinders not, but that the fame penaltyfor the nature and kind of it may receive many and great aggravations, upon wens finning againft that great Remedy provided againft the heft guilt andprevarica- tion; which it alfo doth, as (hall fartherafterwards bedeclared. And this ought they to be well acquainted withall, who are called unto the Di- ffienfatignofthe Gofpel. A fond conceit hath befallen fume, that all denunciations of futurewrath, even untounbelievers, is Legal, which therefore it doth not become the' Preachers ofthe Gofpel to infilt upon : fo would men make themfelves wrier than Jefies ChriJl and all his Apoftles, yea they would di¡arm the Lord Chrift, and ' expoT him to the contempt ofhis vileJi enemies. There is alto we fee a great ufe in thefeEvangelical threatnings unto believers themfelves. And they have been obferved to have had an effeftual miniJfery, both unto Convection and Edification, who have been made wife and dextrous in managing Gofpel Comminations towards the con- fciences of their hearers. And thole alto thatbear the Word mayhence learn their duty, when fuch threatnings are handled and openedunto them. 'Woos a- II. All punijhments annexed unto the tranfgrefron either of the Lawor Go) e7, are efftïs .3oaaJ'ooia of God's vinditiive 7ujfiee, and ctnfequently ja)? and equal. (A meet recompence of re- ward.) What it is, the Apoltie doth notdeclare, but he doth that it is juJf and equal, which depends on the Juftice ofGod appointing and defigning ofit. Foolifh men have always had tumultuating thoughts about the judgmentsof God. Some have difputed with him about the equity and equality ofhis ways in judgments temporal, Ezek 18. and fome about thole that (hall be eternal. Hence was the vain imagina- tionof them ofold, who dreamedthat an end lhould be put after fome feafon, unto the punifhment of Devils and wicked men , fo turning hell into a kind of Purgatory. Others have difputed in our days, that there/hall be no hell at ail, but a meet annihi- lation of ungodly men at the fait Theft things being foexprefly contrary to the Scripture can have no other rife, but the corrupt minds and affedtions of men, not conceiving the reafons ofGod's judgments, nor acquiefeing in his Sovereignty. That which they teem principally to have (tumbled at, is the allignation ofa punifhment infinite as to its duration, aswell as in its nature extended unto the utmoft capacity of the fubjet$, unto a fault temporary;finite and trantient. Now that we may juftifie God herein, and the more clearlydifcern that the punifhment infiitiedfinally on fin, is but a meet recompense of reward, we mull confider, Fielt, That God's Juftice conJfituting, and in theend infliíiing the reward of fin, is ofntial unto him. is God unjuft ? faith the Aponte, o. kart r so viii. ipyñs, Rom. 3.5. ityì, anger or wrath is not thatfrom whence punithment proceedeth, but punithment it felt': God infti6eth wrath anger orvengeance. And therefore when we read of the anger or wrath of God againit fin or (inners, as Rom. 1. 1S. the expreffion is metonymical, the caufebeing deigned by the effecft. The true fountain and taufe of . the punifhment of fin is the Jujficeof God, which is an Elfential property of his Nature, natural unto him, and infeparable from anyof his works. And this abfo- lutely is the fame withhis Holinefl, or the infinitePurity ofhis Nature: So that God doth not align thepunifhment of fin arbitrarily, that he might do fo or otherwife, without
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