fumed Injury, or Contempt done to the Law-giver in difobeying his Will, and violating his Law; whence Vengeance executed upon a Tranfgreffor of the Law is the very End and Scope which Vindicative Punishment aims at, and therefore the Punishment of Adonibezek was not vindicative, unless it was inflicted on him for no other end, fave only to repay like for like, without any intention that it fhould be a Motive to him of Repentance, or that others might be warned to abstain from fuch Cruelty, as he had ufed, by the remarkable manner of his being plagued himself, as he had plagued others; which cannot in reafon be thought to be true, becaufe Adonibezek faith, As I have done, fo God hath requited me; which fhews that the manner of his Punishment proved a Motive of bringing his Sin to remembrance, and was either fo intended to be, or elfe to deter others from the like Wickednes or rather for both; and not barely for ftrict Retaliation or executing of Vengeance upon him for his Crime.

10. In fine, then it appears from what has been faid of Human Laws, and Lawgivers. First, That Sovereign Powers make not Laws out of meer defign to have their

Wills obeyed, but to procure their own, and their Subjects Good. Secondly, That Laws therefore are more or lefs good, as they contribute more or lefs to the general Good. Thirdly, That hence again the Breach of any Law is a greater or lefs Offence, as it is more or lefs prejudicial to the Common-weal. Fourthly, That from this -it moreover follows, that Penalties inferted -in Laws are not intended as pure Revenge das for the Breach of them, but to be a means -to enforce the obferving the directive Part of the Law. Fifthly, That Laws duly executed are proper Ways, or real Caufes of advancing the Public Good.

11. From the Confideration of all which concerning Human Laws compared with what was writ before (Sec. 8.) of the Divine Laws, the Analogy between them is -obvious; and the Certainty of thefe following Truths apparent. First, That God gave Man a Law to obferve, not that he fought to be obeyed for the meer Obedience fake, but that Man by obeying it might benefit himself in obtaining the Poffeffion of his chiefeft Good. Secondly, That because of this, the feveral, Branches of that Law are of more or lefs virtue and value, as they are more or lefs ferviceable for pro

curing the Fruition of the fame Sovereign Good. Thirdly, That from hence again it muft be, that the Breach of any part of the Divine Law is a greater or lefs Evil, or (in the Language of Divines) a greater or lefs Sin, as the keeping of it is more or less available towards the Enjoyment of God. Fourthly, That it will hereupon follow, that the Punishment of Sin is not vindicative, but always, either corrective for the Amendment of the Offender, or exemplary for a Terror to others, or for both; as in this World it perpetually is; or elfeia necessary and natural Product and Confequent of Sin, as it is fever in the World to come. Fifthly, That the keeping of Gods Law, or the pious Practice of Virtue and Holinefs is a proper effective Means, or an efficacious Caufe of Mans Eternal Felicity; the truth of which shall hereafter (God affifting) be shown in particular, asity) hath already been in general.

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SECT.

S E C T. XI

Faith, Hope and Charity are neceffary Means for procuring everlasting Bliss. Sincere babitual Charity formally expels Mortal Sin, and is therefore formal, but in compleat Righwoteousness. Perfect Charity formally expells all Sin, and is therefore perfect formal Righteousness, or the abfolute fulfilling of the Divine Lam.

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Am

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MA

Ince it is clear by Sect. 8. Solut. of Object I that God created Man, gave him a Law, not in expectation of any Profit or Pleasure to be acquired to himfelf, but altogether for the Benefit and Delight of Man, and that it is likewife proved in Sect. 4. that the End for which Man was created, and had a Law given him, is the Charly full Fruition of full Fruition of God by perfect Love; it neceffarily follows, in regard the End cannot be obtain❜d but by Means available for procuring of it, that the Knowledge of the Means available thereto, no less than of the End it felf, is requifite to be had in order to the Acquifition of the perfect Love of God, or that full Enjoyment of him which is Mans Ultimate End and eternal Felicity.

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2. And

2. And because Men arrive not at the certain Knowledg of things but either by Demonstration which begets Science; or by an inerrable Teftimony, which creates an infallible Belief, 'tis clear, feeing a Demonstration wherein Felicity confifts (tho it be a thing in it felf demonftrable, as appears by Sect. 4.) cannot by the generality of Mankind be attained unto; much lefs, wherein all the Means available to the obtaining of Felicity (fome of them being pofitive and fupernatural) are placed, that a Revelation from God, who alone is inerrable, was neceffary for the Discovery both of the Means of Blifs, and of Bliss it felf, to the World, in order to Man's acquiring of Beatitude,

3. And forafmuch as that Knowledg which proceeds from, and is caufed by Divine Revelation, is Divine Belief or Faith, 'tis plain that Divine Faith is required on Man's part towards the obtaining of Felicity.

4. And in regard it is ineffectual to the obtaining of Felicity to have firm Belief only wherein it truly confifts, and what the Means available to procure it are, without fome farther Progrefs made towards the getting poffeffion of it; which will never be, K unless