The Mystical Union of Believers with Christ, Treatise · Chapter 10

The Mystical Union of Believers with Christ · Treatise · Chapter 10

p. 267CHAP. X. Inferences drawn from the Doctrine of Union with Chriſt. The excellency and dignity of Believers. The peculiarity of the providence of God towards them. The miſerable eſtate of Chriſtleſs ſinners.

FOr Application or practical improvement of this Doctrine, I will manage it under theſe three Heads. By way of

1. Information.

2. Examination.

3. Exhortation.

1. By way of Information. What are the practical Inferences which may be deduced from this Point, of a Believers union with the Son of God, and the neceſſity thereof? I will not aim at the ingroſſing of all, that might be taken in upon this fruitful, and ſpiritual ſubject: Only I ſhall ſelect theſe three Inferences, which naturally ariſe from what hath been delivered.

p. 2681. If believers are united unto Chriſt and made one with him in order to their ſalvation, then hence I gather, That they are the moſt honourable, and moſt excellent perſons upon the face of the earth. Why? Becauſe they are united unto the Son of God: and accordingly they ſhould have the greateſt eſteem of us, and be moſt precious and lovely in our eyes. It is the character of a man that ſhall ſee the Lord in Sion, that he contemneth a vile perſon, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord, Pſal. 15.1, 4. Now here is that which maketh them right honourable, above all their fellow-creatures; they are intimately joyned unto Chriſt. So that the Saints which are in the earth, are the excellent of the earht, Pſal. 16.3. more excellent than their neighbours, than all that dwell round about them, Prov. 12.26. You know, the excellency or worthleſsneſs of any being, is to be meaſured and judged, by its neerneſs to, or remoteneſs from, that which is moſt excellent. **Perfectiſſim…m in unoquoque genere eſt menſura perfectionis caeterotum.Now the children of God are neereſt the moſt excellent being; for they are married unto Chriſt. And this is that which giveth them advancement above the higheſt Prince, or Monarch in the world; who is a ſtranger to the power of godlineſs. Take the greateſt Potentate, and he is but the ſon of a man, but Believers are the children of the Lord of Hoſts, the King of kings: Nay, They are one with Jeſus, **Exulta Popule Dei audiens tuae nobilitatis inſignia. Tibi enim dictum eſt Genus regale & Sacerdo…ale, populus in acquiſitionem. Iden quia vos reges eſtis me…itò rex noſter Chriſtus Dominus Rex dicitur Regum, & Dominus Dominantium. Orig. Hom. in Judic.who is over all God bleſſed for ever. Mark how Solomon puts the compariſon, Eccl. 4.13. p. 269Better is a poor and a wiſe child, than an old and fooliſh King, who will no more be admoniſhed. Here are perſons put in competition, that upon an outward account, are at as great a diſtance as is lightly imaginable. What is a poor man that gets his living from hand to mouth, in compariſon with a King, that ruleth over Cities and Countreys, that hath great attendants following him, multitudes of ſubjects at his beck and command, and millions of gold and ſilver heaped up in his treaſury? If the poor man ſhould come to his gates, he would hardly find entrance: he might dance attendance for many dayes, before he might be admitted to ſee the King: Poſſibly he might never get the priviledge, as long as he lived to kiſs his hand, and fall down at his feet. Yea, but if this poor perſon be in his childhood, which is an age contemptible of it ſelf, and having poverty added to it, is rendred more contemptible: and the King be an old one, who hath long ſate at the ſtern, and enjoyed the Soveraignty; and poſſibly is grown famous by glorious exploits; and hath heaped up treaſures as the duſt, and ſettled his throne upon the beſt ſecurity, which the world can afford; that he thinks it can never be moved: you would think ſuch a poor child would not weigh a feather, if laid in the ballance with this mighty Prince, and Emperor. But I tell you ſaith Solomon, if this poor child have ſaving grace in his heart (for that is true wiſdom:) and the King be fooliſh, if he be a wicked man, an enemy to godlineſs, a ſtranger to the life of Religion (for ſuch an one is Solomons fool:) the poor child is to be preſerred before him: He is a more noble perſon than the old and fooliſh p. 270King. And here is the reaſon of it; The poor child is united to Chriſt, and a friend of God through Chriſt; whilſt that old King is a ſlave of the devil.

My Brethren, there is utterly a fault amongſt the generality of Profeſſors at this day; that they put a value upon men, according to their worldly greatneſs only; and the poor amongſt the godly are deſpiſed. As all that are upright in heart are commonly ſlighted, and trampled upon by the wicked; ſo the meaner ſort of them are not duly regarded, by the people of God themſelves. Whereas indeed they are of the number of the moſt honourable, being neereſt to the fountain of honour. So that we ought to have a ſpecial reſpect for the godly, be they never ſo low in the world: Our delight ſhould be in them, and our great ambition to be amongſt them. David was a companion of all them that feared the Lord, Pſal. 119.63. and all his delight was in the Saints, Pſal. 16.3. They are the moſt excellent perſons, deſerving our chiefeſt eſtimation.

There are five things, from whence for the moſt part men are highly eſteemed; and as to each of them the Saints have the preheminence.

1. The firſt and pooreſt ground of our high eſteem of men, is by their garments, wherewith they are clothed. S. James noted it as a corruption in his time, Jam. 2.2, 3. If a man came with a gold ring, and in goodly apparel, and a poor man in vile raiment; they were apt to have reſpect to him that was in gay clothing, and to deſpiſe the other: And this corruption is hardly rooted out of mens ſpirits. But in this reſpect the ſervants of God have the precedence: they wear the beſt clothes, of any men p. 271in the places where they dwell. Is the rich man clothed with purple and ſcarlet? Well, but Lazarus hath on the righteouſneſs of Chriſt. A wicked man may be adorned with gold and ſilver, but a Believer hath the ornaments of faith, and patience, and meekneſs, and temperance, and other excellent graces, which are in the ſight of God of great price. All that a wicked man hath on, are but tokens of his ſhame, and meer rags and patches, which will not cover his nakedneſs: **Fulgent moailibus, moribus ſordent: purpurata veſtis, conſcientia pannoſa. Bern. Solicitiores de capitis ſui decore, quam de ſalute: Inter pectinem & ſpeculum diem perdunt; Concinniores eſſe malunt quam honeſtiores, & Remp. minus turbari curant quam comam. Sen.God ſeeth all the rottenneſs, and filthineſs, and putrefaction that is under his gorgeous apparel. But the godly have on the garments of ſalvation, and are covered with the robes of righteouſneſs, as a bridegroom decketh himſelf with ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth her ſelf with her jewels, Iſa. 61.10. Job was a Prince, and a Magiſtrate, and it is likely he was arrayed anſwerably to his place, and dignity: but what was the beſt ſuit of apparel in all his Wardrobe, whereof he moſt glorieth? Mind what he ſaith, Job 29.14. I put on righteouſneſs, and it clothed me: my judgment was a robe and a diadem. **Veſtite vos Serico prebitatis, byſſino ſanctitatis, purpurâ pudicitiae: Taliter pigmentatae Deum habebitis amatorem. Tert. de cult. mul.Here is the daily apparel of the Saints, of more worth than cloth of gold, Zech. 3.3, 4, 5. Luke 15.22. 1 Pet. 3.3, 4.

2. Men are commonly eſteemed by their wealth and riches. He that hath p. 272the greateſt income, ſhall have moſt reſpect, and honour. He ſhall have cap and knee, as deſerving eſtimation in our account. And if this be the rule. the ſervants of Chriſt are the moſt honourable; for they are the wealthieſt men in the world. Hath Eſau much? yea, but Jacob hath all, having an intereſt in God the giver of all, whoſe is the earth and the fulneſs of it, **foreign eſt mihi multum, ſaid Eſau. But Jacob anſwered him foreign ſunt mihi omnia. Arias Mont.Gen. 33.9, 11. Pſal. 24.1. And in reverſion believers have a kingdom for their inheritance, Luk. 12.32. A worldling may have bags full of thick clay (for gold and ſilver are but the pureſt clay, and pearls and diamonds but the fineſt coloured earth) yet theſe bags have a bottom, and will be emptied: But a Believer hath a mine, a treaſure without a bottom; like the widows veſſel of oyl, that will not be emptied. The beſt ſtate of a worldling is but in leaſe for a tearm of years: Let men boaſt what they will of having ſuch, or ſuch an inheritance for ever, the truth is, the beſt Free-holder in the Land is but tenant for life: death will, as by a Leaſe of Ejectment, thruſt him out of his poſſeſſions, Pſal. 49.16, 17. But a Believers inheritance is for ever, and ever, Prov. 8.18, 19. Riches and honour are with me (ſaith Chriſt the eternal wiſdom of the Father) yea durable riches and righteouſneſs. My fruit is better than gold, yea than ſine gold, and my revenue than choice ſilver. And v. 21. That I may cauſe thoſe that love me to inherit ſubſtance, and I will fill their treaſures. All the riches in the earth are but a ſhadow and fancy; like the apples of Sodom, that crumble into aſhes between the fingers. They can never fill a mans heart: A p. 173perſon may be glutted, and ſurfeited with worldly profits, and pleaſures; but never ſatisfied. But ſpiritual bleſſings are ſubſtantial riches, that give ſatisfaction to the ſoul, Rev. 3.18.

3. We put a value upon men according to their imployments and callings: As a Phyſitian or Lawyer is eſteemed above others that are in meaner places, and imployed about more ſervile work, and the like. Now the imployment of a Chriſtian is of the higheſt rank: He is called to be an attendant of an infinite Majeſty. He ſpends his time in converſe with the mighty God, and is one of his intimate acquaintance. He driveth a trade for heaven, and in purſuit of a crown, an incorruptible crown: whereas others are bufied about the traſh and dung of the earth, Phil. 3.20. For our Citizenſhip (ſo the word imports **foreign.) is in heaven; i.e. We are members of that corporation, and trade in heavenly merchandiſe; and drive on our deſigns for the enjoyment of that everlaſting Kingdom.

4. Men are uſually prized according to their endowments, and inward accompliſhments of the mind. As now, If a man have a quick underſtanding and a ſtrong memory, and abundance of learning; if he be of great parts, and have a deep reach into affairs; ſuch a one is honoured, and admired; and perſons of a mean capacity are little ſet by, in compariſon. Why, mind it Sirs, A truly godly man is the beſt learned man; He hath the higheſt accompliſhments, and the greateſt inſight into matters: And no marvel, for he hath been trained up in the School of Chriſt, and none teacheth like him: He hath had his breeding in the Court of p. 274the great King; he hath knowledge of thoſe myſteries that puzzle the underſtandings of the greateſt Doctors, and which the wiſeſt Philoſophers could never attain unto. The greateſt Stateſman, and wiſeſt Counſeilor upon earth is but a fool, a very dolt, in compariſon with the meaneſt of thoſe that are upright in heart. **Quanto magis foras es ſapiens, tanto magis ſtulius efficeris. Si in omnibus es prudens, circa te ipſum inſipiens. Bern.For if men reject the w…rd of the Lord, what wiſdom is in them? as the queſti…n is put, Jer. 8.9. All their knowledge is but madneſs, and that which they boaſt of as wiſdom, is but the ſhadow of it. They are cunning to purſue a feather, to hunt after a thing of nought, and neglect the ſubſtance: and is this to be wiſe? It is the greateſt wiſdom in the world, to pleaſe the Lord; and the higheſt point of knowledge, to ſee into matters that concern **Vide miſer homo, quia totum est vanitas, totum ſtultiti…, totum dementia, quicquid facis in hoc mundo; praeter hoc ſolum quod propter Deum facis. Bern.our eternal peace, Prov. 1.7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledg. So that unregenerate perſons are but Abecedarians, they have not gotten the firſt elements of true knowledge, Pſal. 119.99, 100. I have more underſtanding than all my teachers, for thy teſtimonies are my meditation. I underſtand more than the ancients, becauſe I keep thy precepts. Multitude of dayes ſhould teach wiſdom, and ſuch as inſtruct others ſhould be well skilled: Yea, but ſaith David, I have outſtript them all; for I am a ſervant of God, an… have reſpect to his word.

5. The laſt ground of honour I ſhall mention, … mens high extraction and Parentage: their great kindred p. 275and alliances. Such a perſon we highly account of, He is Son to an Earle, or Marqueſs, or Duke; he is neerly allied to perſonages of worth, or the like. But now a Believer is a child of the Almighty, Eternal, and Incomprehenſible God; he is of neer alliance to the Lord Jeſus, the Mediator. He is cloſly knit to him, and made one with him: which is the higheſt pitch of dignity, which a creature is capable of; to be united unto the Creator, the Lord of glory. This is it which a godly man may glory of, and be thereby able to out-boaſt all his fellow creatures, all other the children of men whoſoever, Pſal. 87.4, 5, 6. I will make mention of Rabab and Babylon, to them that know me: Behold Philiſtia and Tyre with Ethiopia; this man was born there. And of Sion it ſhall be ſaid, this or that man was born in her, and the higheſt himſelf ſhall eſtabliſh her. The Lord ſhall count, when he writeth up the people: that this man was born there. As if the Pſalmiſt had ſaid, Men are apt to brag of their high birth, and parentage; they will boaſt of their Country, and kindred. I am a Citizen of Babylon (will one ſay) a famous City: I, ſaith another, was born in Tyre, a renowned place, and have ſuch perſonages of my kindred: I can reckon my deſcent from Rahab, ſaith a third, a place of eminent remark, and am allied to this, or the other Prince, and Potentate. Well, but a Believer can out-boaſt them, he can go a ſtep higher. May he ſay, I have God for my Father: I was regenerate and born in Sion, where the great King dwelleth: I am married to the Son of God, and ſo have a place in his family. **Diſcamus ſanctam ſuperbiam, & ſciamus nos eſſe illis meliores. Hier.Theſe are the people which God maketh the p. 276greateſt reckoning of. When he taketh a view of the world, and the inhabitants thereof, he puts an aſterisk at the names of ſuch. He writeth them down with a note of remark: Here is a man of royal deſcent indeed. Here is a perſon that is of neer alliance to the King of heaven: that is united to Jeſus Chriſt, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords. And mark how in the midſt of the genealogy, the holy Ghoſt ſetteth a note upon Jabez, 1 Chron. 4.10. And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren. And Jabez called upon the God of Iſrael, ſaying, O that thou wouldeſt bleſs me indeed, &c. q.d. Here is a man of renown, we muſt not paſs him by without a note of memorial ſtamped upon him. He hath outſtript all the reſt of his brethren, for he is acquainted with God, and in communion with him. This is the firſt Inference.

2. If Believers are united to the Son of God, and made one with him, then hence it will follow, That the people of God may comfortably expect, that God will take a ſpecial care of them, and their concernments: and have a peculiar regard unto them in the exerciſe of his providence. For they are one with Chriſt, and God loveth them with the ſame love (for kind and ſubſtance, though not for meaſure and degree) wherewith he loveth the Lord Jeſus: and therefore certainly he will take a ſpecial care of them.

When the Lord is pleaſed, at ſome times, to appear gloriouſly in the preſervation, or deliverance of his Church and people; it maketh the by-ſtanders amazed, and often filleth the wicked themſelves with aſtoniſhment. What are theſe people above others, that God ſhould bear ſuch a gracious reſpect unto them? You read the very Heathen p. 277could not but take notice of Gods handy-work in this particular, Pſal. 126.2. Then they ſaid amongſt the Heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them, And Pſal. 48.5. They ſaw it, and ſo they marvelled. It was a matter of aſtoniſhment in their eyes, that the Lord ſhould be ſo mindful of them above others. **Viderunt & ſenſerunt occultam vim numinis pro Iſraelitis propugnantem—Et commoti ſunt ipſâre. Sim. de Muiſ. in loc.Why Sirs, Here is the reaſon of it; they are in Chriſt, & brought nigh unto God through Chriſt, and no marvel that he hath a principle regard unto ſuch.

You know, That is a common diſtinction, and it is a very comfortable diſtinction, whereby the providence of God is branched forth. 1. Into his general providence over all creatures: So he feedeth the young ravens when they cry, and provideth meat for the beaſts of the field: he diſpoſeth and ordereth whatſoever doth concern any of the work of his hands. 2. His ſpecial providence towards his own people, he hath a ſpecial eye upon them, and reſpect unto them. As it is with a Magiſtrate of the City or Countrey, If he be faithful in his place; he hath a regard to the affairs and government of all that are under his juriſdiction: but he hath a more than ordinary regard unto his own family, and houſhold. So the Lord is eſpecially mindful of the godly; and here is the ground of it, They are his family, united to his Son, and ſo his children by vertue of that union. We have this diſtinction, and the reaſon of it. Mat. 6.26, 30. Behold the fowls of the air; for they ſow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and yet your heavenly father feedeth them: Are not ye much better than they? Wherefore if God ſo clothe the graſs of the field, which p. 278to day is, and to morrow is caſt into the oven; ſhall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Mark it, If he mind other creatures, he will much more regard his people. How doth that appear? Why, becauſe they are his children, married to his Son: He is a Creator unto others, but he is a Father to them. He that feedeth the fowls of the Air (ſaith Chriſt) is your heavenly father. And therefore doubt not but he will exerciſe a peculiar providence over you.

Wherein doth this peculiarity of the providence of God manifeſt it ſelf towards them? For anſwer, I will take notice of it in four things, beſides what hath been ſpoken of the peculiar Covenant-bleſſings, which are conferred upon ſuch.

1. It doth appear, in the ſpecial cognizance he taketh of their condition, and concernments. When the Lord looketh down from heaven upon all the inhabitants of the earth, and taketh a view of the tranſactions in the world; he doth it to this purpoſe, that he may manage them in a compliance with the welfare of his children, and make them ſubſervient to their good. He maketh an exact enquiry into the ſtate of his Saints, and obſerveth other things to this very end, that they may be diſpoſed of to their advantage, and benefit. That is a precious Text, 2 Chron. 16.9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro, throughout the whole earth, to ſhew himſelf ſtrong in the behalf of them whoſe heart is perfect towards him. He maketh an inſpection into all the world, that he may not miſs any occaſion of doing good to his little flock: but may take all manner of advantages, to ſhew kindneſs to them.

2. This peculiarity of providence doth appear, p. 279in the ſpecial ſupport which he miniſters unto the ſpirits of his people, to bear up their hearts; under ſuch preſſures, wherewith others are over whelmed. For although there is no viſible difference alwayes made in the acts of providence towards the righteous, but it happens unto them according to the works of the wicked: Yet there is a remarkable difference to be obſerved, by a diſcerning ſpirit, in the ſupport which is miniſtred unto their hearts. When the wicked are at their wits end, and filled with terror on every ſide; then Believers can lift up their heads with confidence, and not be troubled at any amazement. God is graciouſly pleaſed, to ſend them love-tokens at every turn; to be a relief unto them, which the world knoweth not of: So that they can ſing with joy of heart, under thoſe very diſpenſations, when the wicked cry for forrow of heart, and howl for vexation of ſpirit, Iſa. 65.13, 14. Do but obſerve their confidence in the midſt of troubles, Pſal. 46.2. We will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midſt of the Sea; that is, though all things be in commotion, and combuſtion on every ſide: Our hearts are ſettled under the moſt ſhaking providences.

3. It doth eminently appear, in Gods overthrowing all things, that ſtand in the way of the welfare of his people, and prove hindrances to the advancement thereof. Sirs, The Lord will have no regard to thouſands of others, that ſtand in the way of the good of one of his choſen. He will overturn the thrones of the greateſt Emperors, if they are impediments to the good of the meaneſt of his Saints. So that it is a dangerous thing to reſiſt the proceedings of the moſt high, when he awaketh to the deliverance p. 280of them that are upright in heart, Iſa. 43.3, 4. I gave Egypt for thy ranſom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou waſt precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. **Hinc generalis doctrina colligenda eſt. Sic Domino curae eſſe pios omnes, ut pluris ipſos quam univerſum orbem faciat. Et nullum fore hominem, quem non tellat atque perimat Dominus, ut ſuos conſervet. Calv. in loc.Rather than loſe but one of thoſe who are in Chriſt, he will deſtroy, and pluck up whole nations before him. He will ſtrike through kings in the day of his wrath, and wound the heads over many Countreys, Pſal. 110.5, 6.

4. The peculiarity of providence doth appear in this, That many outward enjoyments are given to the ungodly, and they are ſet on high for Believers ſakes. Not that God hath delight in the wicked, or is a countenancer of their evil wayes: but therefore he doth proſper and advance them, becauſe he intends to uſe them for the good of his Servants. Either to exerciſe their faith and patience, and to purge away their droſs; or ſometimes to ſhelter them from the rage of others. It was for Jacob's ſake that corn was laid up in Egypt, Gen. 45.7. It was for Iſrael's ſake that Cyrus was advanced to the Empire, and the treaſures of darkneſs given to him, Iſa. 45.3, 4. Your great Stateſmen little think of this: Their deſign is, by the advancement of perſons, to make their party ſtrong, or to pleaſe a friend, or to carry on their ſecular intereſt, one way or other: But God over-ruleth all for his peoples ſake: Unto whom he hath a peculiar regard in all things, that are brought to paſs under the Sun. And no marvel, for they are in Chriſt, married unto him, and acaccordingly p. 281God hath a reſpect unto them. This is the ſecond Inference.

3. The laſt Inference, which I mainly intended to inlarge upon, is this: If there be an indiſpenſable neceſſity of Union with the Son, in order to the partaking of life through him, Then the ſtate of all unconverted ſinners whatſoever, before they are knit unto Chriſt by the ſpirit of regeneration taking hold on their perſons, and working faith in them to take hold on the Lord Jeſus, is a dead eſtate. For till they are ingraffed into the Son, they can have no life from him. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life; i. e. he is ſtark dead, utterly dead.

This is one of the expreſſions, which the holy Ghoſt hath ſingled out, to ſet forth the wretchedneſs and miſery of a perſon in the ſtate of unregeneracy, before he is brought unto Chriſt. He is not only defiled with ſin, but dead in ſin. Not only in a condition like that of the man that fell amongſt thieves, in his journey from Jeruſalem to Jericho, Luk. 10.30. (as ſome would bear us in hand) who wounded him and left him half dead: But he is quite dead, without any ſpark of ſpiritual life remaining in him. By our Apoſtacy we brought our ſelves into a dead condition; **Propheta dicit, Anima quae peccat ipſa morietur. Quamvis mortem ejus non ad interitum ſubſtantiae ſentiamus: Sed hoc ipſum, quia aliena & extorris ſit à Deo qui vera vita eſt, mors ei eſſe credenda eſt. Orig.and till we are united to Chriſt, we are unavoidably ſhut up in that condition. The Son is the fountain of life unto loſt ſinners, and there is no reception of life from the Son, without having the Son. And therefore the converſion of a ſinner is not as the recovery p. 282of a ſick man out of his diſtemper, but as the raiſing of a dead man out of the grave, Joh. 5.24, 25. It is a paſſing from death to life. For as it is v. 25. The hour is coming and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear ſhall live. It is meant of a ſpiritual reſurrection, of the firſt reſurrection: and the raiſing of the body is afterwards produced as an evidence of the mighty power of God, whereby he is able to work this wonderful change upon the ſoul, v. 28, 29. My brethren, When a godly man dieth, he ſhall live: that is, when his body is dead, his ſoul ſhall live in the preſence of Chriſt, and ſee the face of God in glory; but an unregenerate perſon, whilſt he liveth, is dead: that is, whilſt he liveth the life of nature, and the life of ſenſe, and the life of reaſon, he is dead ſpiritually. And it muſt needs be ſo, becauſe he is ſeparated from Chriſt who is the fountain of life. What is ſaid of the widow that liveth in pleaſures, is true of every impenitent ſinner, He is dead, whilſt he liveth, 1 Tim. 5.6.

How, or in what reſpect (you will ſay) are unconverted ſinners dead? I anſwer, In a fivefold reſpect, viz.

In reſpect of

1. Abomination in the ſight of God.

2. The putrefaction and rottenneſs of that condition.

3. Utter impotency, and inability to what is ſpiritually good.

4. Damnation, or liableneſs to eternal death.

5. The abundant evils incident to, or the perfect wretchedneſs of, that condition.

p. 2831. The ſtate of all Chriſtleſs unconverted ſinners is a ſtate of death, in point of loathſomneſs and abomination in the ſight of God. You know that dead carkaſſes are loathſom unto the living: though a perſon hath been never ſo neer and dear to us, yet when they are dead we cannot endure their preſence. Let me bury my dead, ſaith Abraham, out of my ſight. Thus the unregenerate are dead: God loaths and abhorreth them, and all that is done by them. They are as ſmoak in his noſtrils, as dead ſtinking carrion in his ſight, Prov. 3.32. For the froward is an abomination to the Lord: but his ſecret is with the righteous.

By the froward, underſtand the wicked of all ſorts; for they are oppoſed to the righteous: And indeed every ungodly man is perverſe and froward in his wayes: He riſeth up againſt the light of his own conſcience, and reſiſteth the workings of the Spirit, and is ready to rebel againſt the plain counſels of the word. He is a prating fool (as he is elſwhere called) his heart is finding fault with this command, and cavilling at the other duty: in all things he walketh croſs to God and holineſs, and delighteth in crooked paths. Let the Lord ſay what he will, he hath ſome objections againſt it, and is reſolved to hold on his own courſe: and therefore is juſtly called froward. And what is the condition of ſuch? why, they are an abomination to the Lord. I pray think of this, you that live in any way of ſin; you that harbour any ſecret luſt in your boſoms, and hide it as a ſweet morſel under your tongues, and thereby evidence that you are not in Chriſt. Remember, I ſay, though you may be rich and great, and men may flatter you: yet God abhorreth, and deteſteth you. You may have p. 284high conceits of your ſelves, but you are a burden to the Spirit of the living God: and if you go on in thoſe wayes, he will quickly eaſe himſelf of you. For he hateth all the workers of iniquity, Pſal. 5.5. O Sirs, How ſhould men haſten their eſcape out of this ſad eſtate? and adore the patience that hath hitherto ſpared them? and the infinite goodneſs of that God, who ſtill waiteth that he may ſhew mercy unto them? Certainly it is wonderful long-ſuffering, and powerful patience, whereby the wrath of God is reſtrained, from taking vengeance upon ſuch, Numb. 14. v. 17, 18.

2. Perſons unregenerate and out of Chriſt are dead, in reſpect of the putrefaction and rottenneſs of their condition. A dead carkaſs, the longer it lieth, the more it putrefies, and is corrupted: ſo it is with impenitent ſinners, The longer they lye in their unconverted eſtate, the worſe they grow; the more their ſpirits are ſetled in hatred againſt God, and the greater is their forwardneſs and proneneſs to all ſorts of abominations. And therefore none are ſo hard to be wrought upon as old ſinners; that have ſpent the moſt part of their time in the ſervice of the devil, 2 Tim. 3.13. Evil men and ſeducers wax worſe and worſe. For cuſtom in ſin doth naturally tend to ſtrengthen the habits of ſin. **Suffocat hominem, à veritate avertit, abducit à vita, eſt laqueus, eſt barathrum, eſt malum ventilabrum mala conſuetudo.As it is in any ſecular trade or imployment, the more time a man ſpendeth in his Trade, the more skill he getteth, and the more handy he is at his work, till he come to perfection in ſuch an Art or Myſtery: So the more time a ſinner ſpendeth upon his luſts, the more curſed skill and wiſdom he getteth, to make p. 285proviſion for the fleſh, and to find out wayes to ſatisfie his luſts, and evaſions to break through convictions upon his conſcience: the more handy he groweth to commit any ſort of wickedneſs; ſo that in proceſs of time he will turn a deaf ear unto counſel. **Ex voluntate perversâ facta eſt conſuetudo, & dum conſuetudint non reſiſtitur facta eſt neceſſitas. Aug. conf.You read of ſinners compared to wild aſſes uſed to the wilderneſs, And who can turn them away? ſaith the holy ghoſt, Jer. 2.24. q. d. They are grown obſtinate in their rebellions; formerly, perhaps, a reproof would have taken with them, but now you had as good ſpeak to a ſtock or a ſtone. Continuance in ſin taketh away the conſcience of ſin. Formerly ſome workings of a natural conſcience might put a ſtop to mens running to all exceſs of riot: but when the bridle is broken, whither will not a wicked man run? So that my brethren, it is a point of wiſdom to ſeek unto God betimes: and for perſons that are in their youth, to remember their Creator in the morning of their lives. We are apt to cozen our ſelves by promiſes to repent hereafter; when I have a convenient ſeaſon (ſaith the ſinner) I will make my peace with God; and when I am in a better temper. Nay, but, O vain man, **Qui promittit poenitenti remiſſionem, non promittit peccanti poenitentiam.now is the moſt convenient ſeaſon: For beſides the ſlipperineſs and uncertainty of a mans dayes upon earth; the longer thou lieſt in a courſe of ſin, the harder thine heart will grow, and the faſter hold will the devil get of thy ſoul. So that deliver thy ſelf as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the ſnare of the fowler: Give not p. 286ſleep to thine eyes, nor ſtumber to thine eye-lids, Prov. 6.4, 5.

3. Perſons out of Chriſt are in a dead condition, in reſpect of their impotency, and inability to that which is ſpiritually good. A dead perſon hath no power to perform the works of nature, as eating, and drinking, and walking, and diſcourſing, and the like; becauſe he is dead. Thus impenitent ſinners are without ſtrength unto the things of God, Rom. 5.6. A ſincere Chriſtian is dead to ſin: and the unconverted are dead in ſin; they have no power of themſelves to the works of holineſs and righteouſneſs. In this ſenſe I principally underſtand that place, Eph. 2.5. Even when we were dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, he hath quickned us; that is, When all our ſpiritual abilities were gone; If we had been left to our ſelves, we ſhould never have recovered out of our bondage and ſlavery, but muſt have lain in it eternally, without hopes of being delivered; and then God came and breathed the Spirit of life into us. And Sirs, this ſhould awaken us to cry mightily unto the Lord, and never to give him reſt till he ſteppeth in for our recovery. This ſhould cauſe us to take diligent heed, that we quench not the motions of the Spirit, nor provoke him to withdraw his workings from us: for if he wholly depart, we are undone irremediably. I might under this head deſcend unto particulars, by ſhewing you. 1. That unconverted ſinners have no power to turn their ſouls unto God, nor to make a ſaving change upon their own ſpirits, but this I have touched upon before. 2. That they are without power to walk in the wayes of holineſs, or to perform one good action in an acceptable manner. When the Lord himſelf took a view of all mankind in their apoſtatized condition, p. 287he found not one that did good, no not one, Pſal. 14.2, 3. And 3. That they are without ſtrength to reſiſt the temptations of the devil, further than they are kept in by the reſtraining grace of God. Satan leadeth them captive as he will, 2 Tim. 2.26. As the heart of man is tainted with the principles of the moſt horrid abominations, that ever were forbidden in the Scriptures; ſo if God did not ſet bounds to the luſts that are within us, we ſhould quickly ruſh into the practiſe of them. Sirs, were it not for the reſtraining grace of the Almighty, you would have been murderers as Cain, and guilty of witchcraft as Manaſſes, and have been as groſs Idolaters as any of the Heathen. Nay, you would have ſinned your ſelves before this time into hell, or without the compaſs of the promiſe of mercy and forgiveneſs. Surely this is not a condition, wherein a perſon ſhould quietly reſt one moment: for if God ſhould pluck up the flood-gates, whither would not the violent torrent of a mans corruptions carry him? Deut. 18.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. I might have ſhewed you, 4. That the unregenerate are ſo far from having any power by nature to turn themſelves unto God, or to ſerve him in truth and ſincerity; that their hearts are filled with enmity and hatred againſt God, and his wayes; and ready to fight againſt the means appointed to draw them heavenward. Nay, the carnal mind is enmity it ſelf, ſo it is expreſſed in the abſtract, Rom. 8.7. As if they were made up of nothing but venom, and poyſon, and wrath, and bitterneſs againſt God. But I muſt not dwell upon theſe things. The Lord preſs them upon your hearts, and awaken you to follow hard after him, and to take faſt hold of him, and never to let him go, till he hath given you clear evidence of p. 288your freedom from this ſad condition. The Lord make you reſtleſs in your ſpirits, till you have ſecured your deliverance.

4. An unregenerate ſinner muſt needs be in a ſtate of death (becauſe out of Chriſt, who is the fountain of life) and that in reſpect of condemnation, or liableneſs to eternal death. As we ſay of a malefactor, when verdict is brought in againſt him, and ſentence is paſſed upon him to be executed, He is a dead man, dead in law; and aſſoon as a writ for execution cometh forth to the Sheriff, he will be actually put to death. In this ſenſe every unconverted ſinner is dead, legally dead, that is, He is condemned to be ſent into everlaſting burnings. So that, as the Egyptians ſaid of themſelves when their firſt-born were ſlain, We be all dead men, Exod. 12.23. The like ſad meſſage may I bring to every impenitent perſon amongſt you, Thou art a dead man, or woman. Verdict is paſt upon thee as guilty, and ſentence is gone forth againſt thee, to be ſent into the chains of darkneſs: only thou art reprieved for a few moments, and hitherto there hath been a reſpite of execution. But let me tell thee, if God ſhould ſend a providence to take thee hence in this condition (as for ought thou knoweſt, he may do this night) thou wouldeſt as certainly drop into hell, and there lye for ever, as now thou art upon the land of the living. See a full proof of it. Joh. 3.18. He that believeth not, is condemned already. Mark it, although he be not actually damned, yet he is already condemned; and if he go on in his way, it is impoſſible he ſhould eſcape the damnation of hell. How is he condemned already? Why, the Law of God hath pronounced ſentence againſt him, to be caſt into priſon, till he have paid the uttermoſt p. 289farthing; which will never be paid. The ſinner hath wronged, and rebelled againſt an infinite Being, and the Law doth ſentence him to make a proportionable ſatisfaction. Now ſeeing he cannot render a ſatisfaction infinite in worth and valuation, he is condemned to torments infinite in duration. This is the ſentence paſſed upon the wicked, and by reaſon of their unbelief this ſentence ſtands unrepealed: It remaineth in its full force and vigour againſt them; they cannot plead the Goſpel pardon for their diſcharge: becauſe that pardon is procured through the blood of Chriſt, and given forth to none but ſuch as are united to him. If men were duly ſenſible hereof, how would it diſturb their carnal peace, and cauſe their hearts to tremble? They would not enjoy a quiet hour, till they had made ſure their acquital from this dreadful ſentence: They would not eat in quiet, leſt the next bit of bread they ſwallow down, ſhould ſtop their breath, and prove as God's executioner to drag them into priſon: They could not ſleep in quiet, leſt before the light of the morning, their ſouls ſhould be required, and ſent into the bottomleſs pit of deſtruction. If this point were believed, and laid to heart, ſurely it would fill many cloſets and families full of complaints and cryings out, more than if they were under the ſoreſt temporal ſcourge. How would mens retired chambers be filled with prayer, and earneſt deſires after God, to pluck them as fire-brands out of the burning? What pains would they take, to ſue out their pardon in the blood of Chriſt? What welcom entertainment would they give unto the Son of God, when he cometh to offer life and ſalvation to them? Exod. 12.30. There was a great cry in the p. 290land of Egypt, for there was not an houſe where there was not one dead. O my brethren, If this doctrine were throughly weighed, what a great cry would be heard in many places and Pariſhes; where perhaps there are few houſes, wherein there are not ſeveral perſons dead; ſentenced to be ſent into the lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone, which is the ſecond death? How would mens bowels earn with pity towards their carnal relations, who ſpend their dayes in rejoycings, and are every moment in danger of dropping into hell? What mad men ſhould we reckon ungodly perſons to be, that go on in mirth and jollity, or ſpend their time in heaping up the droſs and rubbiſh of the earth, when in the mean time they are perſons dead in Law, condemned to hell? How many do hardly think a ſerious thought of eternity, from one end of the week to the other, when yet there is but a ſtep between them and everlaſting burnings? But if this were conſidered, how would they run from one Miniſter to another, and from one Chriſtian to another; with that queſtion, What muſt I do to be ſaved? I am a condemned perſon, can you give me directions how to get the ſentence repealed? The Lord cauſe theſe things to ſink deep into your hearts.

And a little to drive home this nail of doctrine, I will mind you further of theſe two things.

1. As Chriſtleſs ſinners are already condemned, ſo the very glory of God is concerned in their damnation, or in the execution of the ſentence paſt upon them, if they abide in that condition. And that is a matter very dear unto him, whereof he is exceeding tender, and wherewith he will never part, Iſa. 42.8. God made all creatures for his own glory, p. 291and he will have it from them, one way, or other. If you do not glorifie his free grace, by cloſing with Chriſt, and ſubmitting unto him; he will glorifie his juſtice, and ſeverity upon you, in your everlaſting baniſhment out of the preſence of Chriſt. It is obſerveable, what is ſaid in the caſe of Nadab, and Abihu, when they offered up ſtrange fire which God commanded not, and they were conſumed in a dreadful manner with fire from heaven, Lev. 10.3. Then Moſes ſaid unto Aaron, this is that the Lord ſaid, I will be ſanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. It is as much as if he had ſaid, This I am reſolved upon, that I will have glory from you one way or other. If you do not honour me by a due obſervance of my word, I will vindicate mine honour upon you by pouring down the vials of mine indignation. So may I ſay in this caſe, If you do not glorifie God actively in your converſations, he will be glorified upon you in your confuſion: for this is that which he hath determined to have, one way or other. If you do not give glory to God, by ſubmitting to the terms on which ſalvation is offered; you muſt of neceſſity be caſt into outer darkneſs: and God will glorifie his righteouſneſs and truth, and power, and holineſs, in your utter deſtruction; for by one means or other he will be glorified, Rom. 9.22, 23.

2. As impenitent ſinners are dead in Law, ſentenced to hell, and eternal death; ſo if they go on ſtill in their ſins, the infinite mercy of God will never ſave them, from that ſore ruine and deſolation. This is the conſtant refuge, unto which they have recourſe: Be it, that the Law condemneth them, yet God is gracious, and merciful, and full of compaſſion, and therefore they hope he will ſpare them notwithſtanding. p. 292Nay, but O vain man! If thine heart ſtill goeth after thy deteſtable things, the God of incomprehenſible mercy will not ſhew thee one drop of mercy: He that is unſpeakable in his compaſſions, will not have one dram of pity, or compaſſion upon thy ſoul. It is true, He is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. 2 Chron. 30.9. But God ſhall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy ſcalp of ſuch a one as goeth on still in his treſpaſſes, Pſal. 68.21. The mercy of the Lord is from everlaſting unto everlaſting upon them that fear him, and unto ſuch as keep his Covenant. Pſal. 103.17, 18. But he will not be merciful to any wicked tranſgreſſor. Pſal. 59.5. Why Sirs, do not you know that he is a God abundant in truth, as well as rich in mercy? And he will ſhew no mercy to ſinners in a way derogating from his truth, Exod. 34.6. It is he that hath ſaid, The wicked ſhall be turned into hell, and all the Nations that forget God, Pſal. 9.17. and the Word of the Lord will certainly have its accompliſhment. When thou preſumeſt of mercy, Remember withal, that he is a God of truth; and as ſure as God is true, if thou goeſt on in ſin, and remaineſt ununited unto Chriſt, thou wilt periſh for ever, notwithſtanding that God is merciful: For all the wayes of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto ſuch as keep his covenant and his teſtimonies, Pſal. 25.10. Alas poor deluded wretch, doſt thou hope for mercy to keep thee from hell, whilſt thou art in a courſe of ungodlineſs? Why man, The mercy of God will come up in judgment againſt thee, and ſink thee deeper into hell: **Quos diu ut convertantur tolerat, non converſos durius damnat. Hier. Tarditatem vindictae compenſat gravitate ſupplicii.for by deſpiſing p. 293the goodneſs of God, thou art treaſuring up wrath againſt the day of wrath, Rom 2.4, 5. Doſt thou preſume of mercy in thy ſtate of impenitence? Why man, This very preſumption will add load upon thy back, and degrees unto thy torments. Read over that Text deliberately, and the Lord awaken thy conſcience in the peruſal of it, Deut. 29.19, 20, 21. And it come to paſs, that when he heareth the words of this curſe, he bleſs himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenneſs to thirſt.] It is to this effect, as if the carnal wretch had ſaid, God is gracious and merciful, and though I have no intereſt in Chriſt, but take my pleaſure in ſin, and am not ſo forward in godlineſs as theſe preciſe Miniſters would perſwade me; yet I truſt in God that he will ſhew pity upon me, he will not be ſo ſevere as theſe hot-ſpirited men would bear us in hand: God is a God of mercy, and delighteth in it, and I hope to taſte of his compaſſion, and that he will not ſend me to hell, whatever he hath ſaid. Well, But will ſuch a perſon find mercy, becauſe he hopeth for it? Will he meet with peace, becauſe he ſaith in his heart, He ſhall have peace? Nothing leſs; This very preſumption of mercy whilſt in his ſins, will be a means to bar and bolt the door of mercy againſt him. **Quo diutius expectat, eo diſtrictius judicabit.For mark what followeth, v. 20, 21. The Lord will not ſpare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealouſie ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and all the curſes that are written in this book ſhall lye upon him: and the Lord ſhall blot out his name from under heaven. And the Lord ſhall ſeparate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Iſrael, according p. 294to all the curſes of the Covenant, that are written in this book of the Law, &c.

This is the fourth reſpect, in which a Chriſtleſs eſtate is a ſtate of death, viz. In point of condemnation, or obnoxiouſneſs to eternal death.

5. Laſtly, Unconverted ſinners are in a ſtate of death in reſpect of the abundant evils incident to that condition. They are in a perfectly wretched and miſerable eſtate: For death comprizeth all ſorts of evils. As when life is promiſed to the godly, it is a comprehenſive term, that containeth all ſorts of bleſſings and mercies whatſoever, Pſal. 30.5. Prov. 3.18. So when the wicked, on the other hand, are ſaid to be dead, that is a big-bellyed word, that carrieth all kinds of evils in the bowels of it: troubles, and vexations, and perplexities here; and at laſt eternal ruine, and deſolation, Deut. 30.15, 19. Now in this ſenſe, they are all dead who are not in Chriſt. Deſtruction and miſery is in their wayes, and the way of peace they have not known, Rom. 3.16, 17. To work this upon your hearts, ſtudy ſeriouſly theſe three Texts of Scripture, Job 15. from v. 20. to the 30. Job 18. from v. 5. to the 21. Job 20. from v. 5. to the end of the Chapter. And withal obſerve theſe four ſubſequent notes. 1. Chriſtleſs perſons are under the guilt of all the ſins and tranſgreſſions, that ever were committed by them ſince they had a being: And God will one day reckon them up in order, and lay them in full load upon their ſhoulders. Poſſibly ſinners themſelves have forgotten multitudes of them; but the God of infinite knowledge hath written them down exactly in his book; and at length he will bring them forth into judgment. And truly Sirs, One would think there needed no more to make them miſerable enough. p. 295One ſin, if laid to our charge, would ſink us irrecoverably into perdition. Alas, How will the ſinner ſtand, when all his iniquities ſhall meet together, and be ſealed up as in a bag, and bound faſt upon him? If a wicked man ſhould ſit down, and make a catalogue of the ſins of one month or week, what a vaſt heap would they amount to? Vain thoughts, proud, and earthly, and unbelieving thoughts; inordinate paſſions and affections; unſavoury and rotten communication, evil actions done, and duties left undone, and ſlightneſs and ſuperficialneſs in the diſcharge of duty, and the like. Yea, but when all the ſins of his whole life, and the native pravity and wickedneſs of his heart, ſhall be gathered together into one bundle; what a numberleſs number would they amount to? What unconceivable torments would be the wages of them, if conſidered as clothed with all the aggravating circumſtances thereof? Why Sirs, when God enters into judgment with the unregenerate, he will not abate them one ſin, Pſal. 10.15. Break thou the arm of the wicked, and the evil man: Seek out his wickedneſs, till thou find none. That is, ſet them down in order, till they are all ſet down: Let not one of them remain untaken-notice of: Let them be ſearched out ſo exactly, till there be no more to be found. We are apt to think, that God will not be ſo ſtrict, as ſome would preſs us to believe: But if you are wicked ſinners, he will not abate you one tranſgreſſion. The very ſins of thy youth, which are ſlipt out of thy memory, God will fill thy bones with them, and make them lie down with thee in the duſt, Job 20.11. And as for thy ſecret ſins, which the world could not obſerve, p. 296he will bring them to light, and ſet them in order before thine eyes, Eccl. 12.14. Pſal. 50.21.

2. Perſons out of Chriſt are in a wretched condition, becauſe they have God for their adverſary: who is the mighty poſſeſſor of heaven and earth; in whoſe hands are all the corners of the world, and at whoſe command and beck is every creature in being, to fulfil his pleaſure; Againſt whom never did perſon riſe up and proſper; For he is wiſe in heart, and mighty in ſtrength, Job. 9.4. This all-powerful God is their enemy, that ſetteth againſt them: the living and eternal God, who is able to purſue them that oppoſe him, with fiery indignation for ever: Into whoſe hands therefore it is a fearful thing to fall, Heb. 10 31. Job 9.4. My brethren, a few right and ſerious apprehenſions of the nature and attributes of God, would make a mans heart ſhiver, and tremble, at the very thoughts of having him for an adverſary. For as Moſes ſaith, Who knoweth the power of his anger? Pſal. 90.11. No ſecure ſinner knoweth it: for if they did, it would rouſe them out of their ſecurity, and cauſe them to flie for refuge unto the city of refuge, **Omnis peccans eſt ignorans.No unregenerate perſon knoweth it. Had they but a glimps of the diſcovery of it, their ears would tingle at the mention of his being againſt them: It would be a vexation by day and by night, only to underſtand the report of God's being their enemy; who in a moment can break them in pieces like a potters veſſel. Who knoweth the power of his anger? The meaning is, It is unſearchably dreadful, and paſt finding out. So that this p. 297alone were ſufficient to beſpeak them throughly miſerable. For may a man ſay to the unregenerate, as the King did to the woman that cried unto him for help, 2 King. 6.27. If the Lord do not help thee, whence ſhall I help thee? If God do not comfort thee, what enjoyments can do it? for they are all at his diſpoſal, and can miniſter no further aſſiſtance than he is pleaſed to put into them. If the Lord of Hoſts be ſet againſt thee, who can deliver out of his hands?

3. Ʋnconverted ſinners are under a curſe in all that doth concern them. And how can they expect to ſucceed in any of their affairs, when there is a curſe from heaven intermingled therewith? This is the condition of every perſon out of Chriſt, to be an accurſed perſon. And that curſe is of an extenſive nature: It rideth a large circuit; it ſpreadeth it ſelf upon, and inſinuateth it ſelf into every mercy which they receive, and every work they perform, and every place and relation they are in, and every providence they are under, Prov. 3.3. The curſe of the Lord is in the houſe of the wicked. But what if he go out of his houſe, may he not eſcape it? No, The curſe will follow him whitherſoever he goeth, and ſuck out the ſweetneſs of whatſoever he doth poſſeſs, Deut. 28.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. It ſhall come to paſs, if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to obſerve to do all his commandments and his ſtatutes which I command thee this day, that all theſe curſes ſhall come upon thee, and overtake thee. Curſed ſhalt thou be in the City, and curſed ſhalt thou be in the field, curſed ſhall be thy basket and thy ſtore; curſed ſhall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increaſe of thy kine, and the flocks of thy ſheep. Curſed ſhalt thou be when thou comest in, and curſed p. 298ſhalt thou be when thou goeſt out. The Lord ſhall ſend upon thee curſing, and vexation, and rebuke in all that thou ſetteſt thine hand unto, for to do; until thou be deſtroyed, and until thou periſh quickly: becauſe of the wickedneſs of thy doings, whereby thou haſt forſaken me. Mark how the curſe purſueth the ungodly; and although he ſtave it off with all his ſtrength and skill, yet it will come upon him: And if he flee from it, it will follow after him: And if he run never ſo faſt it will overtake and ſeize upon him, and all that he hath: and will never be removed till he leave his ſins, and get into Chriſt, or elſe be made eternally accurſed. This is the third particular to ſet forth the miſery of a Chriſtleſs condition, It is an accurſed condition. And it muſt needs be ſo, for Chriſt alone can deliver us from the curſe of the Law: and you can have no redemption through Chriſt, except you are ingraffed into him.

4. Perſons unconverted and ununited to Chriſt, muſt of neceſſity be in a perfectly wretched condition, becauſe all the comminations and threatnings in God's word, belong unto them, and hang over their heads; and unleſs prevented, by a ſpeedy return unto God, will actually fall down upon them. As a Believer cannot but be bleſſed, becauſe he hath a right to all the exceeding great and precious promiſes of the Goſpel: ſo an unregenerate perſon cannot but be miſerable, becauſe all the dreadful and direful threatnings of the word are his ſhare and portion. And this in very deed is the reaſon, why ſinners for the moſt part cannot endure to be converſant in the word; and it is a trouble and vexation unto them, when paſſages of the Scripture are darted into their Spirits: Becauſe (as Ahab ſaid of Micaiah) it never prophecieth good concerning them; it denounceth p. 299nothing but wrath againſt them. All that is written in the Law is ſet againſt them: and if there be not enough written, God will bring upon them more evils than are expreſly mentioned in the threatnings of the Law. Their inward thought is, that God will not deal ſo ſeverely with them, as is contained in the word. But mind it Sirs, if you continue in ſin, he will fulfil his word with advantage: He will bring upon ſuch, all the plagues that are written; Alſo every ſickneſs and every plague that is not written in the book of the Law, them will the Lord bring upon ſuch perſons till they be deſtroyed, Deut. 28.61.

So much for the third Inference, That perſons out of Chriſt muſt of neceſſity be dead: for he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life.

There is one main objection ſhould have been anſwered under this head, which relateth eſpecially to the third way of their being dead, viz. in reſpect of impotency, and inability to that which is ſpiritually good. I will briefly touch upon it in this place, though it cometh in, a little out of order, and ſhould have been handled under that third particular.

Obj. The objection is this, If unregenerate perſons are thus dead in ſins, and have no power to that which is ſpiritually good; either to turn themſelves unto the Lord, or to walk in wayes of holineſs before the Lord: To what purpoſe then doth he ſo frequently command them to turn unto him, and to make their wayes perfect before him, and to cleanſe their hearts from wickedneſs; if they have no power to do what is commanded▪ Such injunctions you have often upon record in the Scriptures, Ezek. 33.11. Turn ye, turn ye from your p. 300evil wayes; for why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael? Jer. 4.14. O Jeruſalem, waſh thine heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayest be ſaved. And Iſa. 1.16. Waſh ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes. To what end, now will you ſay, are theſe injunctions laid upon the unconverted, if they are ſtark dead in their ſins, and have no ſtrength to do what is injoyned?

Sol. I anſwer, Theſe commandments do not import any ſpiritual ſtrength in the wicked, for they are dead: They have loſt the image of God which was the life of the ſoul. For as the ſoul is the life of the body, ſo the image of God was the life of the ſoul: and this image they put away from them, by their apoſtacy. But theſe commandments have their uſefulneſs many wayes: principally upon a fivefold account.

1. God doth command the unregenerate to walk in his wayes, and that in truth and with a perfect heart; not as importing their ſtrength what they are able to do; But to ſhew them their duty what they ought to do. **Non menſura noſtrarum virium ſunt praecepta Dei, nec vires noſtrae menſura praeceptorum divi…orum. Nec attemperat Deus mandata ſua ad vires hominis peccato corrupti, ſed ad debitum naturale. Wendelin. ſyſtem. majus.And it is no ſuch ſtrange thing, as ſome perſons would perſwade us, that a man ſhould be in duty bound to the performance of more, than in his fallen eſtate he is able to perform. A little to illuſtrate it by a familiar inſtanc… or two. Take a ſervant, that by his licentiouſneſs hath made himſelf drunken, and it is ſtill his duty to ſerve his Maſter; although he hath put himſelf into a preſent incapacity for the diſcharge of that duty: His ſin and wickedneſs doth not diſannul or cancel p. 301his maſters right and authority. If I lend a ſum of money to another, and he through negligence and ill husbandry ſquandereth it away, and is not able to pay me: yet I may juſtly and legally call upon him for payment, to manifeſt unto him what he is bound to do. This is the very caſe; God gave us power at firſt to obey his will, and to keep all his ſtatutes, and to walk in obedience before him, and we wilfully put it away from us, Eccleſ. 7.29. God made man upright, but they have ſought out many inventions. Now mans wickedneſs and ſinful declenſion from God, doth not invalidate God's authority over us, nor enervate the obligation of his Law upon us. He may juſtly come and require the debt of obedience at our hands, though we have made our ſelves unable to tender it. As it is in the parable, Mat. 25.27. Oughteſt thou not to have put my money to the exchangers. **Induſtriam tuam ſervus debebas demino. Marl.So this is the work which we ought to do, though by our apoſtacy we are deprived of ability to do it.

2. God doth lay theſe injunctions and precepts upon the unconverted, not as implying any power in them; but to make them ſenſible of their own weakneſs. As ſometimes when children will boaſt of what is above their ſtrength, we ſet them upon the work, that they may ſee their folly, and how unable they are to do what they boaſted of. Why Sirs, the heart of man is very deceitful, and apt to boaſt of great matters. Moſt men think it is an eaſie thing to repent and believe; and that they can turn unto God at any time. Why, let me ſee you do it, p. 302ſaith the Lord. **Ad hoc lex data eſt ut ſuperbo ſuam infirmitatem notam faceret. Aug.He ſetteth them upon the performance, that he may cauſe them to ſee and acknowledge their own inſufficiency. As Chriſt dealt with the young man that was full of ſelf, Mat. 19.20, 21. He thought he was able to keep all the commandments of God, and to climbe to heaven by that ladder. And what ſaith our Saviour to him? Why, If thou wilt be perfect, go and ſell all that thou haſt, and give to the poor, and thou ſhalt have treaſure in heaven. As if he had ſaid, Thou thinkeſt thy ſelf able to do whatſoever is commanded; I will trie thy ſtrength, Here is a commandment I give, go and do it: and then it quickly appeareth how impotent and unable he was. In this reſpect all the commandments of the Law are to the unregenerate [praecepta probationis] precepts for trial. As it was with the Iſraelites, they ſuppoſed they could have kept all that God had ſpoken; and he giveth them his precepts in their full extent and latitude, and leadeth them through the wilderneſs, to humble them, and to prove them, and to know what was in their hearts, Deut. 8.1, 2. That is, to make them to know what was in their hearts: for he knew it well enough; all things are naked and open before him; But they could not believe it, that they had ſuch a proneneſs to evil, and ſuch an averſneſs and impotency to that which is good. But by putting them to the trial, God maketh them to know it.

3. God is pleaſed to lay his commands upon the unregenerate, to turn unto him, and to believe in Chriſt, and the like; That they might be ſtirred up to addreſs themſelves unto the Lord, to work in them p. 303what he requireth to be within them; and to inable them to do, what is commanded to be done. **Praecepta Dei ſunt precationum noſtrarum materia; quia jubet Deus facere quae non p…ſſumus, ut ſciamus quid petere ab ipſo debeamus. Wendel, ſyſt. majus.That out of every precept they might frame a petition for ſtrength and ſpiritual grace, and preſent it unto the Majeſty of heaven, Pſal. 119.4, 5. Thou haſt commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes! So ſhould a ſinner ſay, Thou Lord commandeſt me to convert and turn; O that my ſoul were converted, that I might turn unto the moſt high! Thou commandeſt me to repent; O Lord give me repentance, not to be repented of! Thou requireſt me to be holy; O make me ſuch a one as I am required to be! **Lex data eſt, ut gratia quareretur: gratia data ut lex impleretur. Aug.And therefore it is obſervable that what is commanded in one place, the Lord himſelf in ſome other place hath undertaken to perform; that we might be quickned to ſeek unto him for it. In Jer. 4.4. you have it as a precept. Circumciſe your ſelves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts. But in Dent. 30.6. it is a word of promiſe: And the Lord thy God will circumciſe thy heart, and the heart of thy ſeed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul. Ezek. 18.31. God hath laid it as a commandment upon us, Make you a new heart, and a new ſpirit. But Ezek. 36.26. The Lord himſelf hath undertaken it for us. A new heart alſo I will give you, and a new ſpirit I will put within you.

4. God doth command the unconverted to turn p. 304themſelves, though they are dead in ſins and treſpaſſes: becauſe he doth employ his word of precept as the means, whereby effectually to turn them. Together with his commandment, To cleanſe themſelves, he doth ſend forth his Spirit to make them clean. **Utitur Deus praeceptis ut corda noſtra ad obſequium trahat. Sic mortuos quoque non fruſtra Deus alloquitur, quando per ipſum illud alloquium vitam mortuis infundit; & quod efficere vult declarat. Wendel.It is juſt for all the world, in this caſe, as in Chriſt's calling upon Lazarus, Joh. 11.43. He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth. This did not import any power in Lazarus, to raiſe up himſelf; for he had been four dayes dead: But together with the word of Chriſt, there went forth a ſecret energy and vertue from him, whereby he was raiſed. So when Chriſt's call goeth forth unto the wicked, to turn and repent; it doth not ſuppoſe any power in them: but together with his word, he ſends forth the efficacious operation of his Spirit, whereby they are turned, and repentance is wrought within them. And this is according to one of the Statute-Laws of the great God of heaven, that his Word and Spirit ſhall go forth together. The holy Ghoſt worketh in the word, and by the word. The commandment is the [vehiculum or] conduit-pipe by which the Spirit is conveyed, to plant grace in mens hearts, Iſa. 59.21. Prov. 1.23. Jam. 1.18. And this ſhould incourage the unconverted to be much inreading the word, and in meditation upon the word, and to give their conſtant attendance upon it when it is preached, and to be often preſſing it upon their hearts, and perſonally applying it to their own caſes and conſciences.

p. 3055. I might ſhew you, That although it is God alone by his Almighty power, who is able to convert a ſinner unto himſelf; yet he is pleaſed to lay his commands upon them, and to reaſon and expoſtulate the caſe with them; that ſo they may be wrought upon in a rational way: For God doth not work upon men, as upon ſtocks and ſtones; but dealeth with them as creatures indued with reaſon, and underſtanding. He draweth them powerfully to Chriſt: yet he doth it ſweetly, without offering violence to the will of man. And therefore he maketh uſe of commandments to preſs them thereunto, and of arguments and ſpiritual reaſonings to inforce thoſe commandments; and ſo doth overcome their ſtubbornneſs, by making thoſe means to prevail, Joh. 6.44, 45. No man can come unto me, except the father which hath ſent me draw him: and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day. It is written in the Prophets, And they ſhall be all taught of God. Mark it, The Lord draweth men by teaching them, and making thoſe teachings efficacious. He acteth with a ſtrong hand and an outſtretched arm but that arm conquereth them in a way of inſtruction.

And thus I have done with the firſt Ʋſe, viz. that of Information.