A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 1 · Chapter 1

A Discourse of the Two Covenants · Book 1 · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I. The Curſe of the firſt Covenant.

Gen. II. 17.

For in the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die, &c.

SECT. I. The Explication of the Text.

§. 1. IN the Covenant God made with Adam there was a Life promiſed, of which the Tree of Life was a Seal; and there was a Death threatned, which was ſeal'd by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the threatning, Thou ſhalt die, the Promiſe is implied, This do and thou ſhalt live; and therefore the one is called the Sacrament of Life, and the other the Sacrament of Death. And this was a Covenant not made with Adam as a particular perſon, but as a Repreſentative, from whom all Mankind were to deſcend by Natural Generation; and therefore God did make a Covenant with Man in his Head. But the Covenant God made with the Angels was Perſonal, becauſe they were created all at once; and they were not to have their Being by deſcent one after another. Hence it is that in Adam all ſin, and in Adam all die;Rom. 5.12. 1 Cor. 15.12. Act. 17.26.Rom 5:121 Cor 15:12Acts 17:26 becauſe God did intend to make of one blood all Nations: Now the Covenant being made with Adam in the behalf of his Poſterity; and he breaking it, brings himſelf and all his Poſterity under the guilt of Sin, and under the power of Death, which is the curſe of the Covenant. So that the Covenant of Works did not ceaſe by the fall;Epheſ. 2.1.Eph 2:1 but it ſtands ſtill in force unto all thoſe that are as yet in the firſt Adam.

1. This will clearly appear if we conſider, that God dealt with man in a Covenant-way in his Creation. Man ſtands bound to God by a double bond of Creation and ſtipulation; the p. 2one is natural and neceſſary, and the other voluntary. Thus God binds the Creature to himſelf by all imaginable engagements, to prevent future Apoſtaſie. By the one we are bound to God, and by the other God is bound to us. God as a Creator has abſolute Soveraignty, but yet that man might not think much to yield obedience, God is pleas'd to engage himſelf to a recompence. The Covenant God made is double according to the twofold ſtate of Man. (1) In his ſtate of Integrity. And this was faedus amicitiae, a Covenant of friendſhip between perſons never at variance: (2) In his ſtate of Corruption. When man by ſin had broken the firſt, and brought himſelf under the Curſe thereof, then God brought in the Covenant of reconciliation, and that was faedus miſericordiae, that is, a Covenant of mercy. And theſe Covenants were made with two repreſentative heads, the firſt and the ſecond Adam, for in them the Lord looks upon all mankind; and it is a mans being in either of theſe that brings him under either Covenant: for God will deal with men both in a way of Sin and Righteouſneſs, by way of imputation; and the ground of all imputation is union. In the firſt Adam all ſin, and all die; becauſe by their union they ſtand under his Covenant; ſo in the ſecond. Adam we are made the Righteouſneſs of God in him. We are in him, therefore we are righteous in him; we live in the Lord, and die in the Lord; and hence it is that to all thoſe who are in the firſt Adam, the firſt Covenant ſtands in force to this day; for Adam was a publick perſon, a head that repreſented all Mankind. The Commandment belong'd to the Nature; the Tree of Life was not a perſonal Sacrament, but given to the Nature; and the curſe of the Covenant doth not ſeize upon Adam's perſon, but the nature of man in him, Gal. 3.10. And the duty of the Covenant muſt be as large as the curſe of the Covenant, and ſo large muſt the Covenant it ſelf be. Now the curſe comes upon all Mankind, therefore to them the duty did belong, and they are federates in this Covenant; all that are the Sons of the firſt Adam are all under Adam's Covenant. And this will appear from the conveyance of Adam's ſin in the guilt of it, Rom. 5.12, for upon whom the curſe is inflicted, unto them the ſin is imputed; death came in by ſin. But how is it that they die who never ſin'd? Though they never ſin'd in their own perſons, yet in their head they ſinned. Men are in Adam two ways, Legally and Naturally; now ſeeing his ſin is imputed to us, becauſe we ſtood under the ſame Covenant, then ſo long as a man ſtands guilty of Adam's ſin (which he does till he be ingrafted into Chriſt) ſo long he is under Adam's Covenant.

2. Every man that is under the curſe, is under that Covenant that inflicts the curſe: but all Mankind by nature are under the curſe; therefore the curſe is the curſe of the firſt Covenant;Joh. 3. ult.John 3 and the Goſpel does not make men miſerable but leaves them ſo. He that believes not on the Son ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abides on him; that is, only by accident, as the mercy of it is contemn'd; ſo indeed it heightens the ſin, and aggravates the condemnation: but the curſe is properly the curſe of the firſt Covenant, the Goſpel in it ſelf ſpeaks nothing but bleſſing. As a Phyſician that is ſent to cure a man, if through the malignity of the Diſeaſe, and the frowardneſs of the Patient he caſt away the Potion, the Balm that would cure him, he dies of the Diſeaſe, not of the Phyſick. Chriſt came voluntarily under a Covenant of Works,Gal. 4.4.Gal 4:4 and ſubmitted to all the obedience of it; and he was made a curſe for us; that is, in our ſtead, to redeem us that were under the Law. It cannot be meant of the Ceremonial Law, for that the Galatians were never under; and it cannot be meant of the Law as a rule for direction, and as a bridle for reſtraint: therefore it muſt be meant with reſpect to the Law in ſome way as a Covenant; not as a Covenant of Grace, therefore as a Covenant of Works.

3. To be freed from the Law as a Covenant is a ſpecial fruit that the Saints have by Chriſt and by his Death, Gal. 3.13, He delivers us from the curſe of the Law: now a man can never be freed from it as a curſe, that is not freed from it as a Covenant; we are not under the Law condemning, but under Grace pardoning, juſtifying and accepting; or elſe (as Beza and others have it) under the Law irritating, (as the dam makes the waters ſwell the higher) but under Grace, not only pardoning and juſtifying, but healing and ſanctifying. And this follows upon the Law as a Covenant broken; and if this be a ſpecial priviledge, that men have by being in Chriſt, then they that are out of Chriſt are under the Law as a Covenant ſtill; for Chriſt is the end of the Law for righteouſneſs. The righteouſneſs that the Law requires is to be found in Chriſt alone; therefore Moſes Law was to be laid up in the Ark: Chriſt came not to aboliſh the Law, but by his obedience to fulfil it, and eſtabliſh it.

4. From the dealing of God with all men anſwerable to the Covenant under which they ſtand; and his different dealing with them ſhews their different Covenants: (1) He exacts perfect and perſonal obedience in their own perſons. There is indeed in the Goſpel commutatio perſonae, a commutation of the perſon; but non Juſtitiae, not of the righteouſneſs: but no unregenerate man can attain to this; his Covenant admits no Mediator. So that Chriſt's obedience goes not to perfect his, Epheſ. 2.12, Without Chriſt, &c. (2) He rejects their beſt works for the p. 3leaſt failing, Iſa. 1.11, 12. but under the Covenant of Grace, if there be but a willing mind it's accepted, 2 Cor. 8.12. 2 Chron. 30.18, 19. (3) He hates the perſons for the works ſake, Gen. 4.7. Gal. 3.10. but under the New Covenant he loves the ſervice for the perſons ſake. He had reſpect to Abel and his offering; the weakneſs of the ſervice did not cauſe the perſon to be rejected: He never hates their perſons when he is angry with their works, but he deals with unregenerate men under another Covenant. (4) All things are turn'd into a curſe; for this Covenant being broken, ſpeaks nothing but curſe, as we ſhall ſee when we come to ſpeak to the Sanction, or the appendix, that which is added unto the Covenant to inforce obedience, which is but accidental in caſe of diſobedience, and that is, in the day thou eateſt thereof dy…ng thou ſhalt die.

§. 2. But before we ſpeak to this particular, let us note theſe things by the way: (1.) Why doth God add this threatning unto Adam? ſurely it was that he might by it be deterr'd from ſin, and kept in obedience to the Covenant. All the threatnings in the Word ſince the Fall, are but conditional; which argues, that it is to no other end but that they might be avoided and prevented. He tells us the danger before that we may eſcape. God under the firſt Covenant will'd that Adam ſhould have continued in his obedience, and avoided the curſe of it: and the Lord to manifeſt he neglected no means to this end, created in him a holy nature, gave him a righteous and an eaſie Law, made a glorious promiſe to his obedience, added a fearful threatning upon his diſobedience; therefore God did not will the death of a ſinner. And we may ſay with the Scripture, He doth not afflict willingly the children of men; Lam. 3.33.Lam 3:33but as Tertullian ſays of the earneſt prayers of Gods people, ſo I may ſay of importunity in ſinning, Coelum tundimus, We aſſault Heaven; he ſays, Miſericordiam, I put it vindictam extorquemus; We extort vengeance. (2) But God had decreed the fall of Adam, and that this curſe ſhould come, and it could not have been againſt his will: how can it be ſaid then that God will'd his obedience and continuance therein? There is good ground for a double will of God, which the Scripture ſpeaks of, a will of complacence, and a will of efficacy: approbationis & effectionis, a will of approbation and of effection: the one is a general and a conditional will, manifeſted to the Creature, whereby the Lord approves and rewards obedience and perſeverance therein in all perſons whomſoever. And this is his revealed will, without determining any thing of particular perſons in whom he will work this obedience. But the other is a ſecret will toward that particular perſon in whom he will work this obedience, and to whom he will give grace to continue in it. God did in his revealed will manifeſt to Adam, what he did require of him, what he delighted in, and what he would reward him for; but he did not tell him that he would give him grace and a ſupernatural aſſiſtance to cauſe him to continue in obedience; but he left him to the mutability of his own will, and in the hand of his own Counſel. God wills, that all men ſhould be ſaved and come to the knowledg of the truth, 1 Tim. 2 4. God wills that all men ſhould believe, but he will not work faith in all men; He wills that all men ſhould be ſaved, but he will not bring all men to Salvation; he wills the one voluntate approbante, by a will of approbation; but the other decernente, by a decreeing will: So Davenant his anſwer to Gods love to Mankind, pag. 220. (3) Threatnings and Promiſes are of great neceſſity and uſe, even to a creature in the ſtate of Innocency: with whomſoever God will deal in a Covenant-way, even the pureſt Creatures may and ought to make uſe of them, and to fear to offend God, becauſe of his wrath; for even, our God is a conſuming fire. Now of what uſe could this have been to Adam in innocency, having no ſenſe or fear of ſin or ſuffering? but more of this afterwards. (4) Even the Creature in the ſtate of innocency has nothing in it to ſatisfie the Holineſs of God; he gives a command and adds a promiſe; but as if the Lord were jealous of him he adds a threatning to keep him in obedience: and ſo he did with the Angels, he put no truſt in them, he charges even them with folly, Job 4.18. though not with actual, yet with poſſible folly. The beſt Creatures as Creatures are changeable; therefore the Holineſs of God can never take full contentment and ſatisfaction in any thing but in Chriſt, who is by the perſonal union impeccable. (5) How comes it to paſs that this Tree proved ſo hurtful to man? That totum genus humanum per infinitam ſucceſſionem perdiderit; It deſtroyed all mankind throughout ſuch an infinite ſucceſſion. Luther propoſes the queſtion, and ſays, the cauſe was not in the fruit, for fructus protulit nobiliſſimos, it produced moſt excellent fruit; but the ground was in the Word of God, and his prohibition: Arbor vitae vivificat virtute verbi promittentis, arbor ſcientiae occidit virtute verbi prohibentis; the tree of life vivifies by virtue of the word promiſing, and the tree of knowledge kills by virtue of the word prohibiting. It's the Word of God that is the cauſe of life and death to the Creature; God exalts his. Word above the beſt of the Creatures, and it is dearer to him than Adam was in Innocency, or the Angels; he has exalted it above all his Name: Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away rather than a tittle of it, and therefore he will not now ſpare us for the breach of it. But why did God give Adam this Commandment? p. 4having given him ſo freely all the other Trees of the Garden,Preceptum exploratorium. Paraeus. Arhor diviri cultus fuit. why ſhould he forbid him this one? it was a precept for trial, a tree of divine worſhip. They were not one tree, ſays Luther, though here ſo called collectively, but Nemus, quaſi ſacellum quoddam, a wood, as it were a Chappel.

God loves to try the obedience of the beſt of his Creatures, to give them matter and occaſion to exerciſe the Graces that he has given them. As every word of God is a tried word, and has been in the furnace often, and Gods people have found it true; ſo every grace wrought by that word is a tried grace, and the trial of it is to the Saints now (and ſo it ſhould have been to Adam) precious, as the Apoſtle Peter ſays, The trial of your faith is more precious than gold. (6) But what need had Adam of ſuch a Tree, being he had a Law written in his heart of obedience to all Gods requirings? (as the Sun has a law of motion) He was freely and fully carried after it by a command within, he was a living Scripture, a walking Bible; but yet the beſt of the Creatures had need, as of daily aſſiſtance and direction, ſo alſo of daily admonition, and a publick Monitor. The Angels themſelves as they have new ſervice daily to do for God; ſo they have a new ſupply from the ſpirit of Chriſt to quicken them daily. We read in Ezek. 1.13. there is a ſpirit of fire that goes up and down amongſt the living creatures, which denotes the active daily and vigorous ſupply of the Spirit of Chriſt, and the conſtant working of it. Surely men may ſee, yea thoſe that are learned in the School of Chriſt, what need there is of a Miniſtery. Some ſay, what need is there to have the ſame things taught, that we know as well as they do, and may be better: Yet though you do know them, there is need we ſhould ſtir you up by way of remembrance. (7) But why ſhould it be ſo great an offence to eat of this Tree, ſeeing God made it pleaſant to the eye and good for food, and a Tree in it ſelf very lovely and deſirable? It was only the will of God that made it ſo to be, becauſe the Lord had forbidden it; and it's the will of God that is the only rule of the obedience of the Creature: therefore things are good becauſe God wills them, and therefore evil becauſe he forbids them; for 'tis the will of God that is the rule of goodneſs. There is a vanity in the creature to diſpute the commands of God; we take it ill and as an intrenching upon authority to have our commands diſputed, much more may the Lord. It was Abraham's honour he did not reaſon pro and con, Rom. 4.19.I find this rule deliver'd by Glaſſ. Gram. pag. 349 Verb… …tum addit…r infinito ad maj…m certitudinem, c…eritatem. perfectionem & confirmationem exprimendam. but obey'd God without diſputing.

The threatning is call'd ſometimes, the curſe of the law, Deut. 29.21. and ſometimes the the curſe of the Covenant. It is expreſſed in our Text, Gen. 2.17. thus, Dying thou ſhalt die. This denotes,

(1) Certainty, Gen. 37.33. Without doubt, Exod. 19.12, 13. ſurely.

(2) Extremity and the perfection of a thing, Exod. 21.19. It's ſaid, He ſhall cauſe him to be thorowly healed; that is, Medicando medicabitur, plenam denotat cuationem.

(3) Suddenneſs, Zach. 8.21. They ſhall ſay let us go ſpeedily to pray before the Lord.

(4) Continuance and perſeverance, Gen. 8.7, And he ſent forth a Raven; & exibat exeundo, that is, continenter; he did continue to go from the Ark and returned no more. And ſo in the expreſſion here there ſeems to be theſe four things, Dying thou ſhalt die, i. e. Thou ſhalt ſurely, perfectly, ſuddenly and eternally die.

Whence the Doctrine is, That the puniſhment of the breach of the firſt Covenant, and the curſe of it was a certain, ſudden, utter, and eternal death.

SECT. II. The Temporal Curſe.

§. 1. WHatever is excellent or deſirable in Scripture is comprehended under the name of life; and by death is comprehended whatever is evil, and whatever may make the creature miſerable. The thing threatned being death in general, not this or that particular death or evil, therefore we muſt underſtand it of all kind of death; and this I ſhall branch under theſe heads: Firſt, Temporal death; and that conſiſts in theſe particulars.

1. All the Creatures are curſed to him; and that in theſe regards:

(1) He loſt his right to all the Creatures that were given him for his uſe. God gave Adam an inheritance, and put all in ſubjection under his feet; but by ſin he forfeited them all, that he has not a right to the bread that he eats, nor to the air he breaths in. There is indeed a right of providence and a right of promiſe that man has to the Creatures: but neither of theſe a man has from the firſt, but both from the ſecond Covenant; the one as the Providential Kingdom, and the other as the Spiritual Kingdom is in the hand of Chriſt. It is as Chriſt employs them in the world, and ſo gives them theſe things as a reward of their ſervice, and their portion in this life: or elſe they have them by patience only, as a condemn'd man has p. 5many comforts till his execution, but cannot claim them by any right; and ſo it's with them: for he that had forfeited both foul and body, muſt needs have forfeited all things elſe. Therefore all the Creatures are given him by a new Covenant-title: they are all Chriſts,Pſal. 8.6, 7. Heb 2. Iſa. 49.8.Ps 8:6Ps 8:7Heb 2Isa 49:8 and by him diſpenſed to ſome as Sons, and to others as Servants, as he is pleaſed to imploy them. For it's by his Covenant that the Earth is eſtabliſhed, that it doth not periſh, and all the Creatures in it by vertue of that Curſe, Curſed be the ground for thy ſake. Now if a curſe upon man would bring him to deſtruction, then a curſe upon the Creatures (had not a ſecond Covenant come in) would have wrought their annihilation. Act. 1.26. Judas by tranſgreſſion fell, that he might go to his own place. Judas had no place of his own but Hell; and Chriſt himſelf ſtanding in a curſed condition, though he were Lord of all, yet he was in the world as one that had right to nothing. He became poor, had not a houſe to lay his head in, nor an Aſſe to ride on, but lived upon the benevolence of his ſervants: He had not a Chamber to eat the Paſſover in. And when he died, whereas all men have their Graves, he had none but another mans. But how was it that Chriſt the heir of all things, ſhould be ſo in want, but as he ſtood under our Covenant, and came under our curſe, and did repreſent our perſons; and therefore it's ſaid, Dan. 9.26, That the Meſſiah ſhall be cut off not for himſelf. So we read it.Dan. 9.26.Dan 9:26 But others read it, Et nihil erit ei, He ſhall have nothing, he ſhall have no inheritance in his life, and ſhall die as if there were no hope in his death.

(2) All the Creatures deny their ſervice to him: When thou tilleſt the ground it ſhall not give its ſtrength; that's a fruit of the curſe upon the Creatures for man's ſin; the Sun ſhall refuſe to give its light, and the Clouds their rain, and the Heavens their influence: and that we have any of theſe, it's by virtue of the ſecond Covenant; it's by Chriſt that the Sun ſhines, and the rain falls upon the juſt and the unjuſt. Hoſ. 2.19, I will betroth thee unto me; and then the Heavens ſhall hear the Earth, and the Earth ſhall hear the Corn and the Wine: then all the Creatures ſhall give their fruit and influence. Rom. 8.19, 20, there's a bondage of corruption, from which the Creature deſires to be delivered; by which I think is not meant diſſolution, for ſurely no creature but deſires its own preſervation; therefore I judge it's meant of ſervice and ſubjection, in being ſubordinate to the luſts of wicked men. And although the Creatures themſelves be made for ſervice, and of their own natures rejoyce and triumph in it, as the Sun does rejoyce as a Giant to run its courſe: yet ſince ſin came into the world there is ſuch a ſympathy in the Creature of the wrong done to God thereby, that the Creatures would withdraw themſelves, the Sun would cloath it ſelf with ſackcloth, and the Moon be turn into blood; the Stars would withdraw their ſhining, and all the reſt would do ſo alſo, but that the Lord has ſubjected them in hope of a reſtauration and a glorious condition that they ſhall have, even a new Heaven and a new Earth, &c. And God makes the Sun to riſe upon the evil as well as on the good; but upon the evil for the ſake of the good. And were God's people taken all out of the wilderneſs of this world, the Creatures ſhould be delivered and ſerve the luſts of wicked men no more. And therefore the Sun was withdrawn at the death of Chriſt, not that it could not behold ſuch a horrible ſight, (as ſome do expreſs it); but it was in wrath, to ſhew that he was under the diſpleaſure of God, to whom he crys out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and all his Diſciples forſook him and fled, and not an Angel lookt out of Heaven to comfort him.

(3) The Creatures that men have in their poſſeſſion are curſed; there is a curſe upon them which blaſts them, that they are ſubject unto vanity, and are become vanity of vanities, Eccleſ. 1.2. There is an univerſal decay by reaſon of Gods curſe come on all things that are for mans uſe; but many times there is alſo a particular curſe that does ha…en their decay ſooner than elſe it would have been, as it is in Eſtates, Hoſ. 5.12, á moth and rottenneſs, and a lion enters into families. And we read of a flying Roll, Zach. 5.2, 3, 4.Zech 5:2Zech 5:3Zech 5:4that's the curſe that goes forth over the face of the whole earth,—and it enters into the houſe of the thief and the ſwearer, and conſumes the ſtones, and makes holes in the bottom of the Bag;Job 20.28.Job 20:28 the ſubſtance of his houſe ſhall depart, his honour and memory ſhall be gone; and ſo their names are written in the earth, the name of the wicked ſhall rot. God does many times rot mens names preſently that they periſh, they are conſumed as in a moment.

(4) Whatever they have by the Creatures ſhall be with much toil, labour and wearineſs: In the ſweat of thy face thou ſhalt eat thy bread. We ſee how much toil and labour the Husband-man has to put ſome life into the dead earth; all things are full of labour,Eccleſ. 1.8.Eccl 1:8 man cannot utter it; and how much wearineſs there is in every calling and condition of life, nay even in our very Recreations, how much pains there is to extract a poor ſmall contentment, that even the pleaſure of it does nothing recompence the labour to get it, God having made the Creatures even like to Paracelſian Phyſick, a little ſpirit mixt with a great deal of unprofitable matter; a great deal of droſs with a little gold, and much chaff with a little corn, and a great deal of labour before a man can beat it out. Every condition of life is full of labour.

p. 6(5) Even thoſe Creatures that a man is acquiring for his good, become inſtruments of vengeance for his deſtruction; for all the Creatures are arm'd againſt a man: The Stars in their courſes fight againſt him;Exod. 23.25.Exod 23:25 the Heaven that ſends down deſtroying influences, the Sun that ſcorches the Earth, and deſtroys all the labours of man, and the Rain that drowns the World, and the Earth that opens its mouth to ſwallow him up; and the meaneſt of the Creatures, flys and lice deſtroy him; and a mans meat and drink become his bane: God curſes his bread and water, and it ſhall bring diſeaſes on him. The Angels they keep you out of Paradiſe with terrour, Gen. 3. deſtroy whole Armies, meet men with a drawn ſword as they did Balaam. Sometimes a man is eaten with worms as Herod was; and ſometimes God fights againſt us as he did againſt Cambyſes; and the Devil doth poſſeſs our bodies and deſtroy our goods, as he did Job; and he waits but for a commiſſion to hurry us to Hell, and to be the inſtrument to convey us thither upon all occaſions, as being Satan our adverſary.

§. 2. The curſes upon a mans body are various and great. As,

(1) Continual wearineſs and waſting, and ſickneſs, and a diſorder and jarring between the humours of a mans body, Deut. 28.21. and old age which is a continual diſeaſe; though indeed it's true, as Solomon ſays, Gray hairs are a crown if found in the way of righteouſneſs. And it's an honour with Mnaſon to be an old Diſciple, but yet it is in it ſelf a fruit of the curſe, that bringeth with it the decays of nature; for man if he had not fin'd ſhould never have waxed old, nor had any deformity: for he was created at firſt a very glorious Creature, and had no blemiſh from the crown of his head to the ſole of his foot: but now there is not the faireſt face but it has ſome blemiſh; and there is a ſtrange uglineſs and deformity come upon men, though upon ſome more than others. The botch of Egypt, the Itch, the Scab that ſhall not be healed, &c. We read in Eccleſ. 12.2, 3. a deſcription of thoſe evil days, wherein all the comforts of a mans life are taken away; a man cannot ſay he has any pleaſure in them, in which he is much diſabled for ſervice to God and man, by reaſon of his weakneſs and infirmities. All things that are comfortable in this life do decay, and it is with a man as in Winter-weather, when a ſhower or two does not cleanſe the sky, but the end of one miſery and diſeaſe is the beginning of another. And there is a more particular deſcription of the miſeries …hat attend man in his age in the third verſe of that Chapter, The keepers of the houſe, the … and hands are weak, the defence that God has given this houſe of clay, they through …neſs and palſie do tremble, and the legs and thighs, the poor pillars and ſupports of … houſe do buckle through weakneſs and bow: the grinders ceaſe becauſe they are few: and the eyes that look out at the windows are weakned, and the doors ſhut in the ſtreets, and the mouth cloſed. And he deſires not company becauſe he is unfit for it; he keeps home and ſits alone, and his ſleep does eaſily depart from him; at every noiſe he riſes up, at the voice of a bird, &c. and deſire fails to any of the pleaſures of this life. We ſee a Comment upon much of it in the 2 Sam. 19.35. and then death comes, and there is a diſſolution of this houſe of clay, and after death the duſt returns to the earth as it was, and this glorious body of man ſo curiouſly fed, and ſo ſumptuouſly cloath'd, muſt become food to the worms, and rot in its own filthineſs and putrefaction; and in all theſe reſpects the body is become a vile body, corruptible, mortal, a body of death, and it lies down in diſhonour in the grave.

(2) And there is this great curſe alſo upon the body of man; it is become an inſtrument of ſin to the ſoul, and ſo an inſtrument for the devil to uſe. Sin indeed is not properly and formally in the body but in the ſoul,Mich. 6.7.Mic 6:7 and therefore it is properly call'd the ſin of the ſoul, for it's the ſoul that is the arch-rebel; ſin is formaliter in corde & redundanter in corpore; formally in the ſoul, but by redundance in the body. But yet there is this curſe come upon the body and the members of it, that it's imploy'd as a ſervant to the ſoul in ſinning; and as it is the miſery of the Creatures to ſerve the luſts of men, ſo it's the curſe upon the body to be an inſtrument to ſerve the luſts of the ſoul: there is a fitneſs in it for the ſervice of ſin, Rom. 6.13. They are weapons of unrighteouſneſs. As grace in the ſoul does fit the members that a man is prepared to every good work, ſo does ſin alſo prepare to every evil work. The beam in the eye is but a part of the grown wood that is in the heart. Davids's grace made his tongue as the pen of a ready writer, and Doeg's ſin made his tongue cut as a ſharp razor. There is a fitneſs in the members to evil, there is a readineſs and proneneſs in the members to ſin, as there is a backwardneſs in them to whatever is good. Luk. 24.25, Slow of heart to believe,—and dull of hearing; a heavy ear and a blindneſs. So they are prone to evil, the poiſon of aſps is under their tongue, they have it in a readineſs; and their feet are ſwift to ſhed blood, very ready to be ſent on ſuch a meſſage, and imploy'd in ſuch a buſineſs, &c. Moreover there is a greedineſs even in the members to ſin, 2 Pet. 2.14, They have eyes full of adultery, that cannot ceaſe to ſin; it was as a ſpring tide that over flowed all, Act. 13.10. A facility to evil, and they ran greedily after the error of Balaam, Jude v. 11. They were as a ſwift dromedary, &c. All theſe expreſſing the readineſs and greedineſs even of the body to be an inſtrument to the ſin of the ſoul.

p. 7(3) There is an univerſal fruſtrating of all a mans labours, Eccleſ. 9.11, I ſaw under the Sun that the race is not to the ſwift, nor the battel to the ſtrong. There is nothing that a man does ſhall proſper, he ſhall reap no fruit of all his labour; for he has but laboured for the wind. Jer. 22.30, Write this man childleſs; a man that ſhall not proſper in his days: It's the happineſs of a godly man, as in Joſeph, whatever he doth the Lord makes it to proſper. But it's the miſery of a man under the curſe, that nothing he does ſhall proſper, Pſal. 1. ult. God turns their way upſide down; they hatch a Cockatrice egg, and they weave a ſpiders web, which never becomes a garment.

§. 3. There is alſo a curſe of God upon a man in reference to his name and reputation amongſt men; and that alſo in many Particulars. (1) A man ſhall be famous for wickedneſs, and for that get to himſelf a name, which is a great curſe upon a man, Gen. 6.4. From thoſe unlawful Marriages between the ſons of God and the daughters of men, there were born Giants, which were in thoſe days men of renown; In ſua truculentia celebres. Par.it being an expreſſion taken in the worſe part, for men notoriouſly wicked. It's an obſervation of Mr. Medes, that from theſe Hell had its firſt and ancient name, Prov. 21.16, The man that wanders out of the way of underſtanding ſhall remain, in C…tu Gigantum, in the congregation of Giants. And Prov. 11.18, Her houſe inclines unto death, and her paths, ad Gigante, to the Giants. And ſo it had its name from theſe men, that were the firſt eminent and famous inhabitants of it; and yet in their life-time theſe were men of renown. The ſame thing is too common in all ages, men are famous as they do ſome eminent evil; as Auguſtin ſays, Pudet non eſſe impudentem; it is a ſhame not to be impudent.

(2) When a man ſhall not have a name anſwerable to his deſert, Eccleſ. 9.11, There ſhall not be favour to men of skill, but folly is ſet in great dignity. As Chap. 10.5. i. e. Men of weak abilities and low parts are advanced to great honour and rule in the Commonwealth, and men of great ability, and fit for publick Employment ſit in a low place, in a mean and obſcure condition: men of no note in the world, thoſe that no man look after, ſervants are on horſe-back, men of ſervile parts, and ſpirits that a man would look upon them as men, ad mancipium nati, born to vaſſalage, and yet they are brought to great honour; and Princes, … Princely ſpirits do lacky it on foot by them. We read, Eccleſ. 9.14, There was a little … and few men in it, and there came a great King with an Army againſt it, and beſieg'd it, but a poor wiſe man deliver'd it: but he was rewarded with diſgrace, diſreſpect, and forgetfulneſs; no man regarded him. Yea even the Saints of God, of whom the world is not worthy, yet they are counted the ſcum of all things, and men do caſt out their names as evil. It was part of the ſufferings of Chriſt, the reproaches that he was loaden withal, a part of the curſe that he did undergo for us, Pſal. 22.6, I am a worm and no man, a reproach of men, and deſpiſed of the people; all they that ſee me laugh me to ſcorn, they ſhoot out the lip and ſhake the head, &c. They ſay, He is a Traytor, a Drunkard, a Conjurer, and one that did caſt out Devils by the power of Satan,— a Blaſphemer, &c. All this is indeed to the godly turn'd into a bleſſing, and addes to their glory; but yet it is in it ſelf a …urſe, as all other afflictions are, and a part of this death which is the curſe of the Covenant.

(3) When a man has gotten to himſelf a name, and honour, and repute, it proves his ſnare, and he is lifted up by it; Pulchrum eſt digito monſtrari,—and it ſhall be ſaid, foreign Demoſthenes,—and then the man is ſo exalted in himſelf that the earth cannot bear him. Nebuchadnezar was come to be one of the greateſt Monarchs of the Earth, Iſa. 14.13, Thou haſt ſaid in thy heart I will aſcend into Heaven, I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God, &c. and Ezech. 28.2, His heart was lifted up, and he ſaid, I am a God, and I ſit in the ſeat of God, yet thou art man and not God, though thou ſet thy heart as the heart of God. And Herod, when the people exalted him in that blaſphemous ſpeech, It's the voice of God, his heart was lifted up, and the Angel ſmote him. So I have read of a Doctor that read excellent Lectures concerning the two Natures of Chriſt, and was much admired by his Auditors, and then the blaſphemy of his heart brake forth, Quantum mihi debes, Jeſu! &c. How much doſt thou owe unto me, Jeſus, &c. There is many a man whoſe head is very giddy by the wind of honour, and he is as a Boat that is ſunk by his own ſail.

(4) When men have gotten great honour, then ſhall they by ſome means or other blemiſh it, and God will give them over to diſhonourable luſts, Eccleſ. 10.1,foreign. As a dead fly cauſes the ointment to ſtink, ſo doth a little folly a man of underſtanding. A man reputed for wiſdom and honour, a ſmall over-ſight, a little indiſcretion in his carriage ſhall caſt him down, and make his name as diſtaſteful as ever it was before acceptable; a little folly is ſufficient to ſtain and blemiſh all his repute. Sometimes it is by a fooliſh ſpeech,Eccleſ. 10.12. Zach. 11.16.Eccl 10:12Zech 11:16 The lips of a fool ſwallow up himſelf, &c. i. e. Bring him into danger and diſgrace. His right arm ſhall wither, and his right eye ſhall be put out: his wiſdom and prudence ſhall decay, and his authority and ruling power amongſt the people ſhall by degrees come to nothing; he ſhall loſe all his honour, — p. 8and after death his name ſhall rot, Prov. 10.7. and men ſhall ſpeak of him as he is; (though ſometimes, whiles alive, either fear or favour, and dependencies do blind men, and make them ſpeak well of them, and admire them) as we ſee it in Ahab: there was none like Ahab, that ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs. — And Jeroboam the ſon of Nebat that made Iſrael to ſin; and Judas that was the Traytor, &c. And men ſhall lie down in the grave in their ſhame, and be covered with their own confuſion as with a mantle; and every man ſhall delight to cry him down: as we ſee it in Nebuchadnezar that ſo terrified the Nations, that none opened his mouth, or peep'd againſt him; yet ſee how they ſcoff at him, Iſa. 14.9, 10, How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, &c. And this ſhall ſpecially be at the day of Judgment, when men ſhall be aſhamed before men and Angels, Dan. 12. Some ſhall riſe to ſhame and everlaſting contempt.

(5) They ſhall have a vile eſteem in the hearts of all good men, in whoſe eyes a vile perſon is contemn'd, Pſal. 15.4. And Judas, though he was amongſt the Apoſtles, yet Chriſt counts him a Devil. And David calls Saul, Cuſh, Pſal. 7.1. And Abigail ſaith of her Husband, Nabal is his name, and folly is with him, &c.

§. 4. The laſt Branch that I will mention in this Temporal curſe, is in a mans Relations, all thoſe reſpects wherein men ſtand one to another: theſe are many, and we cannot ſpeak to all, but ſhall make choice only of ſome, and leave it unto you in your own private Meditations to make up the reſt. We will mention (1) that of Magiſtrates and Subjects. (2) That between Miniſters and People. (3) That between Husband and Wife. (4) That between Parents and Children. And by theſe you may judge of all other Relations whatſoever.

(1) The relation between Magiſtrates and People is under a curſe. And that 1. as to Magiſtrates: though Civil Government in it ſelf be a bleſſing in this ſtate of ſin, and Commonwealths have a great dependence upon ſuch Governours, as the names that are given them in Scripture do ſhew; viz. the Bars, the Nails, the Corner-ſtones, the Shields of the Earth, Fathers, Saviours, Nurſes, the breath of our noſtrils, and the ſtay of our tribes, &c. Yet all Magiſtracy is occaſion'd by ſin, and comes in by the ſecond Covenant. God gave man in his …cation Dominion over the works of his hand; and they were Paſtores pecorum magis quam …eges hominum; Paſtors of Cattel, rather than Kings of men. A Natural ſubjection there ſhould have been but not a Civil. The name of Magiſtrate came in by ſin, not by nature; but the Government being in the hand of Chriſt, he has erected a double office for Government;Ezech. 1.26.Ezek 1:26 (1) That of Angels; (2) That of Magiſtrates. And as it came in by ſin, ſo they ſhall laſt no longer then till ſin ſhall be done away, 1 Cor. 15.24. Calvin here takes in alſo the dominion of the Angels: all theſe ſhall ceaſe with Chriſts giving up the Kingdom to the Father, that ſo God may be all in all. But though it be in it ſelf a bleſſing, yet coming in by ſin, it hath blaſted it, and the curſe cleaves to Magiſtracy in many particulars.

(1) They ſhall affect Dominion, and make great ſtirs and diſturbances in the World, and bring great miſeries upon the People that their luſts may be ſatisfied, and they ſhall rule according to their will, Gen. 10.8, 9, Nimrod began to be a mighty hunter in the earth. And Jer. 16.16, I will ſend for many fiſhers, and many hunters, that ſhould be all for the prey, and take all the people, and bring them into ſubjection to them. This is ſpoken of the Chaldeans; and what did they hunt for but to enlarge their Dominions? ſuch was this Nimrod before the Lord; i. e. openly; having caſt off all the fear of God, and reſpect to men; and he was the firſt, not that founded, but began to exerciſe Monarchy. And the firſt Proverb that ever we read of grew from this fruit of the curſe upon great men, As it is ſaid, even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. Dan. 7.2, 3, The four winds of the heaven ſtrove upon the great Sea, and four great beaſts came up from the Sea, divers one from another. By Winds are meant the wars and tumults, and the uproars of the people, Jer. 57.1. And out of this Sea thus diſquieted by Winds aroſe the four Beaſts; theſe made the wars, ſtir'd up the winds to inlarge their Dominion.Hab. 2.5.Hab 2:5 See it in the firſt Beaſt Nebuchadnezar, the head of Gold; He is a proud man, keepeth not at home, is not content with his own dominions, but inlarges his deſire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be ſatisfied, but gathers to him all Nations, and heapeth unto himſelf all people. Iſa. 7.2, 8, There is a confederacy between Syria and Ephraim to go up againſt Judah to vex it: and what was the end but to ſet up a King in the middle of it? but God ſaid, The head of Syria is Damaſcus, that is, the Metropolis; and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, it ſhall not come to paſs, &c. And when this itch and affectation of rule takes place men will never be ſatisfied, what miſery ſoever they bring upon their Subjects. We ſee Nebuchadnezar's ſervice againſt Tyrus, Ezech. 29.18.Ezek 29:18and though God had an over ruling hand in it, yet his higheſt end was the enlargement of his Dominion.

(2) Having attain'd to Dominion they ſhall rule over the people with rigour, by will and not by law; but all muſt be arbitrary, the ancient hedge of Law they will pluck up, and the ancient bounds of Government they will remove. Hoſ. 5.10. Dan. 7.26, There are ten p. 9horns on the head of the fourth Beaſt; and they are ten Kings, and another ſhall ariſe after them that ſhall ſubdue three Kings, and he ſhall think to change times and laws. And we read alſo, Zach. 11.5, The people are the flock of the ſlaughter; for their poſſeſſors ſlay them. I will deliver every man into the hand of his neighbour, and the hand of his King, and they ſhall ſmite the land, and out of their hand I will deliver them.

(3) They ſhall uſe their authority againſt Religion, and againſt the Saints, to ſubvert the one and deſtroy the other. Nebuchadnezar has no ſooner an Empire, but he muſt have a Golden Image, and the people muſt upon pain of death be all of the Kings Religion. Let Jeroboam attain the Crown and the people muſt go no more up to Jeruſalem to worſhip; they ſhall have at Dan and Bethel a worſhip every way as ſpecious, and to human wiſdom as rational, as that at Jeruſalem; and all this is for the peoples eaſe, and they willingly walk after the Commandment. King Ahaz muſt have his new-faſhion'd Altar, and Ahab the worſhip of Baal: the ten Kings give their Kingdoms to the Beaſt, they muſt uſe their power to have ſome human addition, and ſome politick contrivement in matters of Religion and the things of God. They ſhall ſpeak great words againſt the moſt High, and ſhall endeavour to wear out the Saints, Dan. 7.25.

(4) And they are alſo inſtruments to ruin themſelves by their wickedneſs, and the Kingdoms in which they rule. As Saul had almoſt deſtroy'd the Kingdom. The land is weak and all the inhabitants are diſſolved, I bear up the pillars of it, &c. Pſal. 75.3. and Dan. 7.26, He ſhall do this till the judgment ſhall ſit, and dominion ſhall be taken from him, and it ſhall be conſumed and deſtroy'd to the end. Magiſtrates may ſo far provoke God in the abuſe of their power not only to take away dominion from them, but even to deſtroy the Nation, and Government it ſelf for their ſakes. As Kingdoms were caſt off in Rome for the abominations of their King. There was a great Star that fell from Heaven, and his name was called wormwood, and the third part of the waters were become bitter, and many periſh'd in his downfall. It were not harſh to ſay, that moſt of the Magiſtrates that ever have been rais'd up in the world, have been given to a people in wrath, as Saul was; and even their perſons being ſuch as they are, have been fruits of the Curſe, have been given in judgment, and proved very great ſcourges to the Nations where they lived.

2. There is a Curſe alſo upon the people in reference to Magiſtrates.

(1) The people ſhall flatter the Magiſtrate, which is a great judgment,Hoſ. 5.11.Hos 5:11 and by this means he ſhall lift up himſelf to his own deſtruction, and they willingly walk after his Commandment. It's a judgment to a people to have a Magiſtrate command what is evil willingly; ſo it is to a Magiſtrate to have the people willing to obey any thing, be it never ſo evil: to be as a lump that receives any leaven. This was the riſe of Antichriſt, and the great judgment, that the Kings gave their Kingdoms to the Beaſt, and all the world wondred after the Beaſt, Rev. 13.3. To worſhip Kings as amongſt the Perſians, to ſet them up as Gods is baſe flattery.

(2) A ſpirit of jealouſie and murmuring of the people againſt them. God ſent an evil ſpirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, Judg. 9.23.Judg 9:23that they were full of nothing elſe but jealouſie and diſtruſt one of another; full of murmuring and complaining. If any evil befall them, by and by ſtone Moſes; if he deliver them it is that he may make himſelf altogether a King over them, and put out their eyes that they may ſee nothing. Don't we ſee how things are carry'd all for your own advancement? as Corah and his Company ſaid. And when he had wrought the greateſt deliverance for them, yet they cry out, That he did bring them out of Egypt out of envy, becauſe there were no graves there; it was but to bury them in the Wilderneſs: as a ſick Patient ſays to a Phyſician, ſurely you mean to kill me, when all his endeavour tends to cure him.

(3) Sometimes they rebell againſt the Magiſtrates, and diſobey their Commandment; endeavouring by force to caſt off their Government: As Abſalom's Conſpiracy with the people againſt David his own Father, beſides all the people of Iſrael were with Abſalom. And in Rehoboams time, To your Tents, O Iſrael, let David take care for his own houſe, what portion have we in David, and inheritance in the ſon of Jeſs, &c. If Sheba the ſon of Bichri the moſt obſcure man do but blow the Trumpet, and ſay we have no part in David, all Iſrael will be ready to deſert and fall off from their loyalty and allegiance. As the meaneſt man ſhall have power enough to make a party againſt Government. And men will forſake them when they are in danger and ſtand in moſt need of them: as when the Philiſtins came againſt Saul and made war againſt him, all the people were ſcatter'd from him. And ſo others if danger come the people leave them to themſelves, after all their care and pains with the greateſt faithfulneſs beſtow'd upon them.

(4) God many times leaves Magiſtrates for the peoples ſins, 2 Sam. 24.1, The Lord was angry with Iſrael, and he moved David againſt them, to ſay, Go number Iſrael and Judah. David is left to this ſin, but it was the Lord's anger againſt Iſrael that did provoke him p. 10thereunto, that by this ſin he might bring upon them the judgment, Ob peccata populi labitur princeps; and therefore Peter Martyr's obſervation is, That the people may much help and aſſiſt their Magiſtrates in Government; Orando & recte vivendo, by prayer and wel-living; and therefore when the people neglect theſe, Saepe a Deo deſeruntur, the Magiſtrates are oft left by God, &c.

2. The Relation between Miniſtry and People is curſed.

1 There is a Curſe upon the Miniſters in reference to the People.

Jer. 23.Jer 23(1) They ſhall prove unprofitable and of none effect; they ſhall not profit this people at all. Though they riſe early and go forth in all their might, yet men make excuſes when they come to invite them; and they go their way, one to his Farm, and another to his Merchandize, &c. And we can but return the ſame account that Melancthon did, when he firſt went forth to preach, Old Adam is too ſtrong for young Melancthon. It was a part of the Curſe that was upon Chriſt for us, in the days of his fleſh, Iſa. 49.5, I have labour'd in vain, and I have ſpent my ſtrength in vain. The word foreign doth ſignifie, my radical moiſture; and foreign ſignifies, utterly to waſte, and perfectly to conſume. And yet Chriſt has done all this (in reſpect of ſucceſs) in vain, for Iſrael is not gather'd.

(2) The people build hay and ſtubble upon the foundation that their Miniſters lay; and that not only ungodly men,1 Cor. 3.1 Cor 3 but even godly men, whoſe work may be conſumed and they ſuffer loſs, and yet their ſouls be ſaved in the day of the Lord, 1 Cor. 3. Satan can ſometimes get into Peter, and carry him away to a diſſimulation, as Barnabas alſo. They may not foreign, rightly proceed, nor foreign, rightly divide; and ſo by doctrine and example they may hurt ſouls, Ezech. 13.18, 20. and their trading may be as that of Rome, for the ſouls of men. The Apoſtle ſays, there is a foreign, a craftineſs to deceive and draw diſciples after them. And the Father ſays, There is a bait of hereſie, ſomething that the fleſh of man is taken with.

(3) They may ſtir up great diviſions and contentions in Churches and States. There was a contention begun amongſt the Diſciples which of them ſhould be the greateſt. And by Diotrephes from love of Preheminence, He prates againſt us with malicious words; and he neither receives the brethren, 3 Joh. v. 10.and forbids them that would, caſting them out of the Church. And in the Revelations they go forth together with the Kings of the Earth to the great battel of Armageddon. Therefore Nazianzen bitterly bewails the contentions between the Miniſters in his time: If I (ſaith he) be the cauſe of this diviſion, if I be the Jonas, then caſt me out. And he makes that as his laſt requeſt to Theodoſius the Emperour, That he would compoſe thoſe diviſions; telling him, This ſhould be as the ornament and glory of all his former Victories and Trophies.

(4) They may be a means to ripen the ſins and to haſten the Judgment of God upon a people,Iſa. 6.10. Heb. 6.8.Isa 6:10Heb 6:8 and increaſe their condemnation. Go make the heart of this people fat, &c. And the ground that drinks in the rain and bears briers and thorns is near to curſing. If I had not come and ſpoken to you you had had no ſin, but now there is no cloak for your ſin, &c.

2. There is a Curſe that comes upon the Miniſters by the peoples ſin.

(1) For the peoples ſins God does many times hide his face, and his truth from their Miniſters.Pſal. 74.9. Ezech. 26.Ps 74:9Ezek 26 There is not a Prophet, there is none can tell us how long. I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, and thou ſhalt be dumb and not be a reprover to this people. The Sun ſhall go down upon your Prophets, and the day ſhall be dark over them, &c. For they do receive Truths as ſtewards to diſpenſe them; and when God will puniſh the family then he does ſtraighten the ſtewards and hides his face from them.

(2) For the peoples ſins God does many times give the Miniſters up to errours and deluſions; that as the people are, ſuch alſo ſhall the Prieſt be: They love lies, and ſay propheſie and declare to us ſmooth things; propheſie deceit, therefore if any man will propheſie of wine and ſtrong drink he ſhall be a Prophet for this people. Ahab's ſin did provoke God to ſend the Devil to be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all the Prophets. And 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11. the people not receiving the truth in the love of it, the Miniſters were given over to that efficacy of deceit, and the people were enſnared by it, that all they might be damn'd that had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, and had not pleaſure in the truth.

(3) The people are many times a continual grief to their Miniſters. I was amongſt you as a nurſe: and therefore did bear with much frowardneſs and perverſeneſs in the people to the grief of his ſoul: if you will not hear my ſoul ſhall weep in ſecret for your pride, ſaith Jeremy. And how much bitterneſs of ſpirit the Miniſters of God have felt by the perverſneſs of the people is known to God and their own ſouls.

(4) They many times make them to propheſie in ſackcloth and aſhes, in a poor, low, afflicted and contemptible condition; look upon them as the ſcum of the world, and the offſcouring of all things. It has in all ages been the portion of the Witneſſes that God has ſtir'd p. 11up, to be lookt upon as enemies to men, becauſe they tell them the truth; and therefore there are ſnares laid for them to reprove in the gate. And though the Lord ſays, they ſhould be counted worthy of double honour that labour in the word and doctrine; yet amongſt the generality of men, they that labour moſt ſhall be honour'd leaſt. And though the Lord ſays, Let him that is taught in the word, make him that teaches partaker in his good things; yet men are willing to make them partakers in nothing; and yet if they ſow to you ſpiritual things is it a great matter that they reap carnal things from you? Yes, men think it great, and look not upon it as a duty, but give it with the ſame repining that nigards give an alms at their door, &c.

3ly, The Curſe is alſo come upon the relation of Husband and Wife. (1) When a Wife ſhall become a ſnare to a mans ſoul, and be to him but one of the Devils darts, a Serpent in his boſom. 'Tis ſaid in 1 King. 21.20. There was none like Ahab, who ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs, whom Jezabel his wife ſtir'd up. To have a Wife inſtrumental to further the luſt of her Husband in what kind ſoever, what a ſnare is that? for her to entice him to the worſt of evils, Idolatry, &c. as Deut. 13. (2) When a Wife ſhall be falſe to her Husband in the Marriage bed. Thy wife ſhall be a harlot in the middle of the city, is threatned as the Husbands Curſe, Amos 7.17. And Job 31.10, Let my wife grind to another man, &c. And for a man to miſtruſt his Wife; Keep the door of thy lips from her that lies in thy boſom. (3) When a Wife ſhall be an enemy to Religion, and a ſcoffer, as Michal; How glorious was the King of Iſrael to day, when he was uncovered before the maids? And for Job's Wife to joyn with his friends, yea with Satan againſt; Doſt thou ſtill retain thy integrity? curſe God and die. It's queſtion'd why the Devil ſhould ſpare Job's Wife when he took away his Goods and Children? there is ſurely more comfort in a Wife than in all things in this world. The reaſon given is, becauſe he did intend to make her an inſtrument to perſwade her Husband to curſe God, hoping to conquer him by her. And how this evil in a Wife imbitters the ſpirit of a Husband, and what animoſity it raiſes in him againſt her, and what ſuſpicious thoughts, and what eſtrangement this does uſually work in their minds one from another, we many times by experience find.

And the Husband alſo becomes a Curſe to the Wife: (1) By a ſpirit of jealouſie over her, which though ſometimes it may be upon juſt ground and cauſe given in the Wife; yet ſometimes it may be cauſleſs, as appears, Numb. 5.12, 13. We ſee what great care the Lord did take of Marriage-Chaſtity, it being his own Ordinance, he did appoint an Offering and a water of Jealouſie; the one to be offered to the Lord, and the other to be drank by the Woman accuſed. And if ſhe were guilty her belly ſhould ſwell, and her thigh rot; and if guiltleſs ſhe ſhould conceive ſeed and become fruitful: ſo that it was ſometimes cauſleſs, and yet a ſpirit of Jealouſie might come upon a man. A Wife made a Croſs is the greateſt croſs; and made a ſnare is the greateſt ſnare, and the moſt dangerous. And when a man grows vile in the eyes of a Wife for any weakneſs in him, either inward or outward, as Nabal did, His name is Nabal, and folly is with him. And Job ſaid, My breath is ſtrange to my wife, though I intreated for the childrens ſake of my own body, Job 19.17. Jealouſie is the rage of a man, it makes him bitter to her, takes every thing in the worſt ſenſe, not bearing with ordinary and common failings, incident to perſons in that ſtate. Bitterneſs in words, ſharp and piercing ſpeechees and actions, ſavouring of tartneſs and want of that tenderneſs and love that ſhould be in a man towards his own fleſh. Gen. 3.16, Thy deſire ſhall be ſubject to thy husband, and he ſhall rule over thee. The woman was created to be a help to the man, and the woman created for the man, and not the man for the woman; and therefore a ſubordination and a kind of ſubjection there was before the fall, but not ſuch as now after the fall. Indeed the Civilians ſay, that Marriage is, Perpetua quaedam ſervitus, a conſtant ſervitude: only before the fall (as Auſtin ſays) it was ſervitus dilectionis, a ſervitude of love: but ſince the fall it is ſervitus conditionis, a ſervitude of condition. Before the fall it was with much ſweetneſs and love, their wills never claſhing; they both joyned in the ſame good, and will'd the ſame thing: but now there is much oppoſition and much contrariety of will. And yet it is the bondage that God has laid upon the Wife; ſhe muſt be ſubject to her Husband, and have no will of her own; but even her deſire muſt be ſubject to him: not only ſubmit her actions but even her will alſo, which is of all other the greateſt ſubjection. It's ſaid of Jacob, though he was a holy man, that God ſaw that Leah was hated by him, which at beſt cannot be interpreted but of a leſs degree of love, and that there was more ſharpneſs in his carriage towards Leah than there was towards Rachel.

(2) When the Husband deſerts and forſakes his Wife, being raviſh'd with a ſtrange woman, and imbracing the boſom of a ſtranger, Prov. 5.20. And we read in Mal. 2.15, 16. the great miſery thoſe poor women were ſubjected to, for the Husband making uſe of that command of Moſes, which is not a toleration but a limitation: not that putting away was lawful, p. 12(for the Lord hates putting away), but for the hardneſs of their hearts, ſeeing they did put them away; for the womans diſcharge he was to give her a writing of Divorce. But by this means their wives, v. 13. cover'd the altar of God with tears: ſo that when they came to offer Sacrifice, that ſin came up into remembrance before God, that their Sacrifice could not aſcend; and the Altar was not cover'd with that, but with the tears of their wives, which they had in a cruel and wicked manner, by their deſerting them, cauſed them to ſhed, dealing treacherouſly with the wife of their youth: ſhe that is thy companion and the wife of thy Covenant. They had great complaints againſt their wives, and were able to find out many pretences to put them away, when they had ſinfully found out others, that their luſt carried them to: and ſo they did cover violence with a garment. But the Prophet bids them take heed to their ſpirits, and look upon the falſeneſs of their own hearts in it, that they deal not treacherouſly and falſly, and ſo break their Covenant with their wives, even the Covenant of their God.

(3) By puting them upon occaſions of ſin; and ſo they are made inſtruments to ſatisfie the luſt of their Husbands. What an occaſion of ſinning did Abraham put upon his beloved Sarah twice? once before Pharaoh King of Egypt, and another time before Abimelech King of Gerar, by deſiring her to ſay, that ſhe was his ſiſter. How was ſhe drawn at his requeſt to conſent to a lye, and to endanger her chaſtity amongſt the Heathen? In re illicita etiam conſenſus vitioſus eſt; in an unlawful matter the very conſent is unlawful. The Apoſtle ſays, 1 Cor. 7.34, The married woman takes care of the things of the world, and how ſhe may pleaſe her husband. The Apoſtle does not only ſet this down as a duty, what married perſons ſhould do in that condition, to take care of the things of the family, and how to pleaſe their Husband; but as an ordinary temptation and corruption alſo, that follows that ſtate; though as Calvin obſerves, Hoc non eſt proprium conjugii malum; ſed ex hominum vitio provenire. It is the common temptation and corruption that accompanies that ſtate, not only a moderate and a lawful but even an inordinate care alſo of the things of the world, and how to pleaſe her Husband even with the neglect of the things of God, and how to pleaſe him. Ahab deſires Naboths Vineyard, and is ſick for it; and lays him down upon the bed, and will eat no meat. Jezabel his Wife comes to him and ſays, Doſt thou now govern Iſrael? is this becoming the greatneſs of thy ſtate to bear ſuch a denial, and affront? Is not all the Kings? and do not his people enjoy what they have by his leave and favour as a boon from him? and ſhall any ſubject dare deny his King what he requeſts of him? This is not to reign over them, bu… to be under them: Imperatoris eſt leges dare, non accipere, &c. And thus ſhe reproves him, and becomes a very fit inſtrument for the Devil,Pet. Martyr. I will give thee the Vineyard of Naboth, 1 King. 21.7.

4. Between Parents and Children: 1. Children are curſes to Parents. Thou ſhalt be curſed in the fruit of thy body, as well as in the fruit of thy land. (1) By diſeſteem, making them vile in a mans eyes,Deut. 27.16.Deut 27:16 Curſed be he that ſets light by father or mother; and this proceeds further even to mocking and deriding, Prov. 30.17, The eye that mockes at his father or mother, the ravens of the vallies ſhall pick it out. (2) By forſaking them, 2 Tim. 3.3. without natural affections: the word in the Greek is a ſimilitude taken from a Stork, which takes ſpecial care to provide for and maintain the Parent when it's old. But Mar. 7 11. they taught Children a way to cheat their Parents by dedicating their Eſtates to the Temple, or the publick ſervice; and then when the Parent ſhould ſtand in need of any part of it, the child ſays it is Corban, a thing dedicated, and therefore he muſt not meddle with it, and ſo do nothing for him. (3) There is a ſeeking their Fathers life, as Abſalom did David's, Ʋſe the young man well for my ſake, ſays the father; but when Huſhai ſaid, We will ſmite the King only; the ſaying pleas'd Abſalom well. And the ſon ſhall betray the father to death; Sennacherib was ſlain by his two Sons. (4) The parting with Children at death and not knowing in what condition a man ſhall leave them, is a great part of a mans vexation. In this life it's a great part of the Curſe, His Sons come to honour and he knows it not, they are brought low and he conſiders it not, &c. That was Luther's comfort in his Will, Lord, thou haſt given me Wife and Children, and I give them to thee again; Qui pater es pupillorum & judex viduarum, which art the Father of Orphans, and Judge of the Widows. But the contrary is a very great affliction unto the hearts of Parents, and a great part of a mans miſery, that Children muſt ſuffer for the Parents ſins, and God may viſit the iniquity of Parents upon Children to the third and fourth Generation.

2. Parents alſo are a Curſe to their Children: (1) The ſins of Parents are tranſmitted to the Children. We ſee Adam did bring a Curſe upon himſelf and all his poſterity, and the infants of Sodom were involved in the puniſhment of the ſins that they were not in themſelves guilty of;Ezech. 4.25.Ezek 4:25 God reſerved the puniſhment of the Fathers for their Children for three hundred and ninety years together. Chams ſins and Canaans is puniſht nine hundred twenty-five years p. 13after; and Gehazi his Leproſie cleaves to him and his poſterity; and the Jews in Crucifying Chriſt, ſay, his blood be upon us and our children; and ſo wrath is come upon them to the uttermoſt for many Generations. [1] This is a puniſhment upon the Parent, and a teſtimony of great wrath, that not only Judgment comes upon himſelf, but upon his poſterity. [2] It's only in Temporal things, for an Eternal Curſe never comes upon Children, but for their own ſins; but for Temporal Curſes they are diſpens'd in a way of prerogative, and the Lord will lay thoſe Curſes upon Children which the Parents did deſerve, and they are gone down to Hell to receive. (2) Parents prove ſnares and plagues to their Children by betraying their liberties, loſing of their priviledges, Rom. 3.2, Ʋnto them were committed the Oracles of God. Now when they ſhall forfeit them and part with their priviledges by little and little. What a curſe is this? The Ordinances and the Truths of the Goſpel are the greateſt truſt committed to Parents, but when they provoke the Lord to call them Loammi, and to caſt them off, then they are forfeited. As Rom. 11. the natural branches are broken off, and their poſterity are caſt out as an abominable branch: only the Lord will in time graft them in again. So many a Father does loſe glorious priviledges and opportunities for his Children. Saul did diveſt himſelf of the Kingdom and all his poſterity, Now would I have eſtabliſhed the Kingdom to thee, &c. (3) By an evil example,1 Pet. 1.18.1 Pet 1:18 corrupting them by their vain converſation received by tradition from their Fathers, Jer. 44.17, We will burn incenſe to the Queen of Heaven as we have done, we and our fathers, our Kings and our Princes in the cities of Judah, &c. (4) The Father may forſake his Son, yea, he may forget, When my father and mother forſake me, ſays the Pſalmiſt, the Lord takes me up. And the Father may betray the Son to death, as we ſee Saul did Jonathan; if he will not comply with his luſts he ſhall not live; he throws a Javelin at him to kill him, &c.

SECT. III. Spiritual Death.

§. 1. WE have thus far conſidered the firſt Branch of the Covenant's Curſe, and that conſiſts in Temporal death: Now let us come to conſider the ſecond Branch of it, which is Death Spiritual, and that is All the ſpiritual evil that can befal the ſoul of man in this life, whether of ſin or ſorrow. And it's as poſſible for a man to weigh the fire, and to meaſure the wind, and number the ſtars, or count the ſand upon the ſea-ſhore, as to reckon the particulars wherein this Death conſiſts. Godly men that ſtudy the evils of their own hearts all their days, yet cry out, The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it? Jer. 17.10. The word ſignifies an incurable diſeaſe; its only the Lord that can cure and ſearch it, and know the malignity of it. And as it is ſaid of Vertue and the beauty of Holineſs, if it could be ſeen with bodily eyes, Mirabilem excitaret amorem ſui, it would ſtir up a wonderful love of it ſelf: ſo could the death of the ſoul and the evils of it be ſeen, it would ſtir up hatred and amazement above all things in the world. A godly man that ſees but a little of it, when God opens his eyes, he abhors himſelf and loaths his own ſoul, Job 42.6. And Luther bleſſed God, that he did not ſhew him ſin all at once, but by degrees; it would have ſunk him with the apprehenſion of it. This will be the ſtudy of men in Hell to all eternity to rake into this filthineſs of the ſoul and the death thereof: for Hell is the grave of the ſoul, and the rottenneſs of it ſhall be ſtudied there for ever. And this ſhall be the work of that never-dying worm, the ſouls reflection upon it ſelf and its own loathſomeneſs, and to loath it ſelf for ever.

Conſider (1) the ſoul is the darling, and therefore the beauty of a man; and the worth of the man lies in the hidden man of the heart, which is in the ſight of God of great price, 1 Pet. 3.3. and therefore the deformity of the ſoul is the greateſt. The worth of the man is from the worth of the ſoul, Prov. 10.20, The heart of the wicked is little worth: His Lands and his Honour, and his Cloaths may be worth much in the eſteem of the world, but his ſoul is worth nothing. Therefore the value of a man is in his ſpirit, though there be other things that we commonly prize men by, yet thoſe that judge aright count the Saints upon this account the excellent ones, Pſal. 16.3. and all others to be vile men how great and rich ſoever, Dan. 4.17. Pſal. 15. And a man does proſper truly as his ſoul proſpers, 3 Joh. 2. and not as his body proſpers, or as his eſtate proſpers. Therefore a man is filthy if his ſoul is filthy, and vile as his ſoul is vile; and he decays as his ſoul does from day to day. (2) The great difference between men and men lies in their ſpirits. Caleb had another ſpirit, Numb. 14.24. Our diſtinctions for the preſent are but for a time, and death will make all equal; that as we were all made of one body, ſo we ſhall all be diſſolved into the ſame duſt; they are all but for the time of this life; the Princes robes and the beggars rags lie down together, but the difference in their ſpirits is eternal, and therefore the bleſſing or the curſe upon the ſoul p. 14is much more than that on the body or the eſtate: many of theſe being but for the time of this life. (3) Sin is chiefly an act of the ſoul. The ſin of the ſoul? membra ſunt arma, the members are but weapons; it's the ſoul that's the hand, and the chief cauſe of enmity lies therein; and therefore the chief vengeance lights upon that. God will puniſh ſin not only here, but eternally: Therefore as the greateſt bleſſing is upon the ſoul, ſo the greateſt curſe alſo. And as the School-men ſay of Glory, ſo we may ſay of Wrath, it is Radicaliter in corde, redundanter in corpore, radically in the heart, but redundantly in the body; the main object of wrath and curſe is the ſoul.2 Pet. Mat. 16.Matt 16 (4) The great evil that ſin does a man, it fights againſt his ſoul; and the great loſs that it occaſions is the loſs of the ſoul, men do often complain of loſſes, but they may be all made up in this life, as Job's were; or if not, yet the afflictions of this preſent life are not worthy of the glory that ſhall be reveal'd; they work for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: and, Quaedam amittere ut majora lucreris non amiſſio eſt ſed mercatura; to loſe ſome things that thou maiſt gain better is not loſs, but a thriving trade. But the loſs of the ſoul is the great loſs that can never be made up, and therefore the curſe of the ſoul is the great curſe. (5) The curſe of the ſoul being taken off all other curſes are taken off alſo; as the curſe remaining on the ſoul all bleſſings are turn'd into curſes: they may be bleſſings in the thing, but they are curſes to the man. So on the other ſide all curſings are turn'd into bleſſings: they may be curſes in the thing, but they ſhall prove bleſſings to the man. To the unclean all things are unclean, for their minds and conſciences are defiled, Tit. 1. When once Grace comes into the ſoul malediction goes out; all things ſhall work for your good, and the curſe is taken off from all the Creatures for your uſe. Life is yours, and death is yours; ſo that as the precept of the Law is made a ſervant to the promiſe of the Goſpel; (for it was added by way of ſubordination and ſubſerviency thereunto;) ſo the curſe of the Law is made a ſervant to the Grace of the Goſpel alſo: and a Saint has a ſanctified uſe of that as a bleſſing, which is in it ſelf a curſe. (6) The chief ſatisfaction that was given for ſin has reference to the ſoul. In the ſacrifice there was offred the life and the blood; but it was the blood that made an atonement for the ſoul, and without ſhedding of blood there is no remiſſion. And when Chriſt came to ſtand in our ſtead as a ſurety, the main of the ſufferings he endured were in his ſoul,Iſa. 53.10.Isa 53:10 God made his ſoul an offering for ſin. Chriſt did as our ſurety, and therefore he put his name to our bond, and was made under the Law. Now being our ſurety he was to pay our debt; and that was mainly in the ſoul. The Sacrifice that was to be accepted of God was to be a whole burnt-offering: now if Chriſt had but ſuffered in his body it had been but a half burnt-offering. He offered himſelf, Heb. 9.10. therefore it muſt be his whole manhood: and before his bodily ſuffering came, while he was in the Garden, he ſays, My ſoul is heavy unto death, Mar. 14.33. amazed or aſtoniſhed: the word is rendred, a failing of ſpirit: his ſpirit died even within him, his thoughts were wholly abſtracted from all things elſe, and the wrath of God that lay upon him did wholly fill up his ſoul, &c. Now in all theſe reſpects the curſe upon the ſoul which is ſpiritual death, is the greateſt part of the Curſe far greater than that upon the body, upon Creatures or Relations.

§. 2. And now let us come to conſider wherein this Curſe upon the Soul lies.

1. It lies in this, That a man has forſaken God as his chief Good, and as his utmoſt End. Man in his Creation was carried towards God, as that chiefeſt Good, wherein his happineſs conſiſiſted; and acted towards God as him to whom all his actions were refer'd, and wherein his bleſſedneſs lay: and therefore Auguſtin ſpeaking from a ſpirit renew'd and having the ſame principle begun in him, ſays, Omnis copia quae non eſt Deus inanis egeſtas eſt; All plenty that is not God is poverty. And Bernard ſays, Animam Dei capacem quicquid eſt Deo minus non implebit; nothing leſs than God will fill the ſoul capable of God. Man having all in God muſt needs do all for him, and refer all to him: for he that is the chief Good muſt needs be alſo the utmoſt End. Now the death of the ſoul lies mainly in this firſt, it's taken off from God as the chief Good; for that's the firſt thing ſin does, Jam. 1.14. it draws a man away from God, who was the Center where the ſoul reſted, Pſal. 116.7, Return to thy reſt, O my ſoul. They have forſaken their reſting place, they have wandred upon every mountain. And therefore Jude v. 18. all the luſtings and inclinations of the ſoul they are call'd ungodly luſts, becauſe they have nothing elſe in them, that being the main bent in them all, to take off the ſoul from God and carry it away from him, Jer. 2.13, It's forſaking the fountain of living water. And Heb. 3.12, It's departing from the living God. And hence it is that repenting is call'd returning, becauſe we have departed from him; and converſion is nothing elſe but returning to God as a mans chief Good. And man being thus departed from him, God is not in all their thoughts: for they look for no good from him, their good lies not in him, and therefore they live without God in the world; they know him not, they love him not, they expect nothing from him; it's to them as if there were no God to judge, nor reward; and hence it is that men can live without the favour of God all their life-long, and never be troubled, becauſe they p. 15have not made it their happineſs. But take a man that has ſet up this as his happineſs, a frown is to him as the meſſenger of death, and not to ſee the Kings face puts him into the ſhadow of death; for he can breath in no other air: as Abſalom ſaid, He could not live unleſs he ſaw the Kings face. And ſo David, God had hid his face, which made him like to them that go down into the pit. Man in his Creation as he was wholly of God, ſo he was wholly for him; and ſo it is when the Image of God is renewed: None of us lives to himſelf, Rom. 14.9. 1 Cor. 10. ult.Rom 14:91 Cor 10nor dies to himſelf; Whether we live we live to the Lord, and whether we die, we die to the Lord, &c. But nature never aims at God in any thing, makes him neither the end of his being, nor of his working: if he labour in his Calling and get an Eſtate, he is laying up treaſures for himſelf; and is not rich towards God: and in his Religious duties, if he pray, he howles for Corn and Wine.—If he faſt, Have you faſted to me, ſays the Lord? and when you did eat and drink, did you not eat to your ſelves? And when they preach it's to themſelves: ſome preach Chriſt out of envy, and to draw diſciples after them. Some ſelf-end or other is the great wheel in all they do that acts them, and carries them on: and if they do reform with Jehu, it's upon a politick principle, and not a pious; not for God but for themſelves: and ſo dum obtemperant, non obſequuntur, whiles they obey they obey not; and in all the duties of Religion Self is at the bottom, Hoſ. 10.11, They are as a heifer that loves to tread out the corn. And if like the Phariſee they faſt, or give almes, it is to be ſeen of men; God is not in all their thoughts, nor his glory in all their aim; and they are ſaid to ſerve other things as Mammon, and ſerve divers luſts and pleaſures. Now what is ſervice but to do anothers work, and to do it to their ends, to be wholly theirs: therefore Chriſt is ſaid to be God the Fathers ſervant, becauſe he did the work that God gave him to do, and he aimed at Gods ends alſo; he did not ſeek his own glory, but the glory of him that ſent him: and Grace is in this reſpect in a ſpecial manner call'd ſelf-denial, Mat. 16.24, Let a man deny himſelf; and Self in ends is hardeſt denied of any other. This is great Babel that I have built for the honour of my Majeſty. And thus the ſoul is taken off from God, it has no happineſs in him as the chief Good, they live not to him, they act not for him as their utmoſt end; he is neither the end of their being, nor of their working.

2. The Soul has loſt his intereſt in God. There were glorious relations between God and man by Covenant, ſo that as God had an intereſt in man, ſo had man alſo an intereſt in God, Luk. 3. ult. Adam was the ſon of God, and had that intereſt in God that became that relation, as a child has an intereſt in a father, and he could truly call him his God: and this is the glory of the ſecond Covenant, that our intereſt in God is reſtored and increaſed; I will be their God and they ſhall be my people, Jer. 31.33. And he that has an intereſt in another may claim him according to his relation, as truly as if all were in his own power; as the Wife has an intereſt in the Husband, and ſhe may expect that love, care, and protection and proviſion that that relation does intitle her to, as truly as if it were in her own power; and the Husband may expect from his Wife that love, ſervice and help that the relation calls for. And it's true of all other relations whatſoever, when perſons have a relation and an intereſt one in another; and though the perſons be of the higheſt rank, as between a King and a Subject, a Maſter and a Servant, a Father and a Son, yet the relation gives them a mutual intereſt one in another: and ſo man had in God at the firſt, he was his God; and the Saints now call him in Chriſt, the God of my mercy, and the God of my life; and ſo man had an intereſt in the Wiſdom of God, and in the Holineſs of God, and the Soveraignty of God over all the Creatures, ſo far as might be for mans good, as truly as for his own glory; for that's the nature of propriety, Eph. 6.10, Be ſtrong in the Lord and in the power of his might. I have no power, may ſuch a ſoul ſay, but I am ſtrong in the ſtrength of God, and wiſe by the wiſdom of God; all that is in God I have a claim to, I have nothing of my own, but all the Creatures of God are as mine; and therefore as having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things; having nothing in my ſelf and yet poſſeſſing all things in God: as Rev. 21.6, He that overcomes ſhall inherit all things; I will be his God. And therefore after all Job's great loſſes the Fathers bring him in looking upon them all, and ſaying, I have loſt nothing. So long as the ſoul has an intereſt in God he can loſe nothing, he can want nothing: But ſin has broken all relations between you and God, but barely that of a Creature, thou art no more a Son; and therefore the Jews, Joh. 8. boaſting that God was their father, Chriſt tells them, that there was no ſuch relation between God and them, but they deſcended from another ſtock, of their father the Devil. And for ſervants, they ſerve not God but themſelves, their own bellies; and therefore all this intereſt muſt be reſtored unto them in Chriſt; I aſcend to my father and your father, my God and your God: He is no way a God to us but as he is Chriſt's God, elſe we have no intereſt in him; and if we ſin we can lay no claim to his Mercy to pardon, or to his Wiſdom to direct us, or his Power to protect us, or his Bounty to provide for us; nay, all the Attributes of God that work for the good of his people, they all work againſt ſuch a ſoul; p. 16his Holineſs is a terrour, for he is of purer eyes than to behold evil; his Wiſdom is a terrour, for he knows how to reſerve the wicked to the day of judgment to be puniſhed; his Omniſcience is againſt us, for he will bring every work to judgment with every ſecret thing: He does number our ſteps, and does watch over our ſins, and the mercy of God thou haſt no intereſt in, thou ſhalt have judgment without mercy, &c. a man can claim nothing that is in God to be for him. And though while men are at eaſe, and enjoy the Creatures, they find no want of this, yet when they come to die and to be in a ſtreight,Act. 27.Acts 27 as Paul was when he ſaid, the Angel of the Lord ſtood by me whoſe I am and whom I ſerve; and at the laſt day to look up to God, and ſay, I am thine, ſave me Lord, it will be more than for a man to have an intereſt and a title to all the Kingdoms of the Earth: and other men that have ſlighted it they ſhall know what it is to loſe their intereſt in God.

3. The Soul has wholly loſt the Image of God in which the glory of the ſoul did at firſt lie, but it's utterly defaced, and a new Image is now ſtampt upon us. We are all by nature the children of the Devil, and there is an image that's earthly which we do now bear, 1 Cor. 15.49. therefore we muſt be renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us; for all knowledge and inward abilities of mind either to know God or the Creature is loſt, and the ſoul is darkneſs it ſelf, Epheſ. 4.18. dark in its principles, and dark in its reaſonings, his foreign is darkneſs: and though Divines do commonly ſay, that there are ſome common notions as fragments of the former image, I conceive we are beholding to the Covenant of Grace for them, and that they are preſerved in us by Chriſt, as our lives are; and the ſupport of the Creatures for our uſe, and whatever does tend to our comfortable being, whatever is on this ſide Hell, we have not as a part of the firſt Image, and from the firſt Covenant, but as an overflowing of the Grace of the ſecond Covenant, by which I ſay the world ſtands: for ſurely man fell in lutum lapidoſum, into a ſtony mire, as Bernard: the one blotted out the image of Holineſs, and the other brake in pieces all his natural abilities. It's laid for a ground, that Original ſin is alike in all; now how comes it to paſs that it has not the ſame puniſhment and power upon all? Take a natural fool, and the verieſt idiot, and every one of us was as guilty of Adam's ſin as he; now why are thoſe common notions blotted out in him, and preſerved in us? ſurely it is from the different diſpenſations of the Mediator, into whoſe hand the government and adminiſtration of all things are committed; and it's ſaid, Joh. 1.9. That he enlightens every man: there is not only a ſupernatural light from Chriſt to all the Elect, but there is ſome kind of light that even all mankind has from Chriſt by vertue of the ſecond Covenant; that it's not deſtroy'd it is from him: and that glorious freedom of Will is wholly loſt, that though man acts as a free-willer becauſe he does it anſwerable to the dictates of Reaſon; yet it is libertas adulterina, an adulterine liberty; and that which has a ſhew of liberty, but is only bondage: for ſurely that libertas contrarietatis, velle bonum vel malum, is not liberty; for that's a perfection, and ſo is not the other, neither can there be liberty in Heaven then: but now the ſoul is wholly ſervile, becauſe it can will nothing elſe but evil,—Phil. 2.13. he muſt work the will, &c. Facit ut velimus praebendo vires efficaciſſimas voluntati. Aug.

4. The Soul has loſt all fellowſhip and communion with God. Adam could walk with God, and enjoy fellowſhip as a friend with God; and ſo do the Saints that have this image renewed; but it's grace only fits a man for fellowſhip, Being made partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. And ſo for glory alſo, Col. 1.12. Epheſ. 4.18. Eſtranged from the life of God. So call'd, either becauſe it's wrought by God, (as the righteouſneſs of Chriſt is call'd the righteouſneſs of God,) it's God that lives in the ſoul by his ſpirit; and it's the life of God by way of eminency and excellency; for things excellent are call'd the things of God: and it's the life of God, becauſe it does fit a man to walk with God, and to live to God. Now from this life men are ſtrangers,Iſa. 44.20.Isa 44:20 they live a natural life, and they feed upon the carnal comforts that are below, that nature deſires and ſeeks after; and they live a civil life, they converſe with men in civil affairs; but for a godly life, a life to God, to walk with God, converſe with him in all their ways, this they are ſtrangers to, this is only the life of Saints. But men live the life of ſatan; he lives in them being the ſpirit of this world, and he acts them, and with him they converſe, and his luſts they do. As Auguſtin ſays of himſelf, ſpeaking of the luſts of his youthful time, Hi ſunt amici quibus acquievi, conſules quibus credidi, aves quibus cohabitavi. But for God they have no acquaintance with him in all their ways.

5. The Soul is at enmity with God, Col. 1.21, Enemies in our minds: and this enmity is twofold, either direct or collateral enmity, as when mens luſts run out to the Creatures, and the uſing of them, loco mariti, in the ſtead of an husband; it's an enmity unto God, though we intend it not, but Jam 4.4. only pleaſure in the Creature carries us on, and we prove adulterers therewith, when mens ſpirits are carried unto ſeveral luſts for pleaſure ſake, and profits ſake, &c. and ſo it's enmity againſt God but indirectly, and men ſay they never meant p. 17God any evil, I never intended it; as they in Ezech. 8.3, They ſet up the image of jealouſie to provoke me to go far from my ſanctuary: that was finis operis, the end of the work, though not operantis, of the worker. But there is a kind of direct enmity which carries a man on unto that which is ſimply evil, and that for no cauſe but becauſe it does diſpleaſe and diſhonour God, as in ſwearing, a ſin wherein is neither pleaſure nor profit; there is no ground for it but barely becauſe God is diſhonoured by it. We read Heb. 10.29. there is a deſpighting of the ſpirit of Grace; there is an enmity to do evil for no other end but to deſpight the ſpirit of Grace, which is the great tranſgreſſion, Pſal. 19.13. There is an inclination in our nature to this great offence, unto which not only preſumptuous ſins, but even ſecret ſins are ſteps and degrees. Men reject the Soveraignty of God, and ſcorn his Laws, and deſpiſe his power and judgments, deny his being and exalt themſelves above him, ſaying there is no God.

6. The Souls death lies in this mainly, that it hates, and is an enemy to all thoſe ways that might bring him back unto God again, reſiſts whatever may reconcile God and his ſoul; let but a good thought of God come into their head, and they hate it.Rom. 1.28.Rom 1:28 We naturally like not to retain God in our knowledge; let any thing be offered unto us that exalts God, and we reject it, we are enemies to all righteouſneſs. Take but the offers of Chriſt, and the grace of the Goſpel, there is nothing that the heart riſes ſo much againſt and oppoſes, becauſe it's the way that brings us to God; they will find out another of their own, they deſire to be under the Law, go about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs, and not ſubmit to the righteouſneſs of Chriſt. This will be the great condemnation of the World. Nay, even in a godly man, let but a little of God be ſet upon his ſoul, preſently fleſh luſts againſt it, (Gal. 5.17.) and would extinguiſh that ſpark that the grace of God has kindled in his ſoul, but that an Almighty power upholds it; ſo that men could be content to live in this world and never know God, Job 21.15.

§. 3. The curſes upon the Soul in reference to God we have ſeen; now there are others in reference unto the ſoul it ſelf, and ſome of theſe we ſhall alſo name: As firſt, God doth forſake the ſoul; for the Creature departing from God, he does alſo depart from it. There are three words uſed to this purpoſe, one is foreign, Jer. 23.33, I will even forſake you; it ſignifies to caſt off the care of them, &c. And another word is foreign, which is properly to forſake or depart from a perſon, or withdraw his preſence, 2 Chron. 15.2. If you forſake him he will alſo forſake you: but the word in 2 Chron. 28.29. is foreign, which ſignifies to caſt a man off, and to forſake him as an abomination. Now of the Deſertions of God there are ſeveral kinds, anſwerable to the ſeveral bleſſings wherein a man is deſerted: (1) There is a deſertion in the matter of actions, and then a man can do nothing, for even a godly man is not ſufficient of himſelf to think a good thought: God works the will and the deed of his good pleaſure. (2) There is a deſertion in matter of Grace, and then all corruptions prevail and overflow. (3) There is a deſertion in direction, and then a mans vvay is hid, and he cannot tell which way to take, but he gropes for the way as a blind-man. (4) There is deſertion in matter of ſtrength, and then a man can bear no affliction, nor reſiſt any temptation, but his heart is weak as water. (5) There's a deſertion in part of joy and comfort, and then his heart is full of heavineſs, he walkes in darkneſs and has no light; when God does but hide his face his ſoul is troubled even to death. (6) There is a deſertion in reſpect of any outward calamity. When God leaves a man in the hand of an enemy, as he did Job in the hand of Satan, and withdrew himſelf, took away the hedge that was about him; and when a man is left in the hands of wicked men whoſe tender mercies are cruelty, Job ſays, Chap. 29.4. The ſecret of God was upon my tabernacle: there is a ſecret of counſel, Pſal. 25.14.Ps 25:14and ſo ſome expound it here for direction, God making known his Counſels to him; but there is alſo a ſecret of Providence, Gods preſence being with him as if he were peculiarly the God of his family, and had a ſpecial eye to the preſervation of his Tabernacles beyond all others. As amongſt the Heathens they had their Houſhold-Gods, ſo did the Lord ſeem to be unto Job, and the ſecret of his Providence was there, as the Lord has ſtill a ſecret of his peculiar Providence over his own, which is call'd the ſecret of the Lord. Now if the Lord deſert a man, even his own people, any of theſe ways, in what a miſerable condition do they by and by apprehend themſelves to be? There is a preſence of God required to the ſubſiſtance and being of the Creature, and therefore one has well compar'd it to a glaſs without a foot, &c. There is a Divine hand that holds it, and if the Lord do hold it, it will abide ſafe, but if God withdraw his hand it falls, he need not ta…e it and daſh it againſt the wall, it will break of it ſelf; ſo if God do but withdraw his hand the Creature does periſh, if he do but forſake it in its natural being, it comes to nothing; ſo alſo if the Lord forſakes the ſoul in its ſpiritual being, all miſery muſt needs break in upon it.—When the Lord ſays, I will be with thee, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. O! how comfortable is it to hear ſuch a promiſe? let a man but p. 18ſit down and imagine with himſelf what good he can deſire, and as it is all in God eminently, ſo is the ſupply of it to a ſoul eminently in the preſence of God: all happineſs is comprehended in this, I will be with thee; ſo do but imagin to the utmoſt whatever evil you can fear, and it's all comprehended in this one word, I'le forſake you; and then all miſery muſt needs follow it. Deut. 31.17. God ſays, I will forſake thee, and hide my face from thee, and they ſhall be devoured, and many evils and troubles ſhall befall them, and they ſhall ſay, theſe evils are come upon us becauſe God is not amongſt us. If the Lord forſake his beloved Son the Lord Chriſt in point of his preſence and joy, he looks upon it as the greateſt of his ſufferings, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? though it was but ſubſtractio viſionis, non unionis, a ſubſtraction of viſion, not of union. And this is the dreadful ſentence at the laſt day paſt in the moſt terrible words, Depart from me ye curſed; and therefore curſed becauſe you muſt depart: and 2 Theſ. 1.9, Puniſhed with eternal deſtruction from the preſence of God, and the glory of his power. And if a ſoul be left by God, O! whither will it go? and though men be not now ſenſible of it, becauſe they enjoy the Creatures; yet when all the Creatures and the comfort of them ſhall have an end, and God ſhall be all in all, and this God hath forſaken thee, and thou haſt no intereſt in him, then thou wilt know what it is for God to leave the ſoul.

2. There is guilt upon the Soul that follows as a part of the Curſe, and is a neceſſary conſequent and concomitant of every ſin, Rom. 3.19, All the world is become guilty before God; and Jam. 2.20, He that breaks one Commandment is guilty of all. This guilt in its nature is the obligation of the Soul to bear the whole Curſe, and all the puniſhment that is legally due thereunto. There are indeed two things in guilt; (1) There is ordination unto wrath, and that is ex parte Dei, on Gods part; which the School-men call reatus perſonae, the guilt of the perſon, the actual binding over of ſuch a man to puniſhment becauſe of ſin; and this is from God, (for the Law is good) and may be ſeparated from ſin, as in all the regenerate that are juſtified by the righteouſneſs of Chriſt it is. (2) There is a demerit in ſin, which is the deſert of puniſhment and wrath, and this is called reatus peccati, the guilt of ſin; and this is inſeparable from ſin whereſoever it is; even in Gods people, there is a meriting of wrath in their ſins, as well as others: But unto all men that are under the firſt Covenant, both theſe by vertue of the curſe of it do concur; there is a demerit in the ſin, and there is an actual obligation to puniſhment upon the perſon. There are two things in ſin, there is the act and the guilt; the act with the pleaſure of it is fading, the pleaſures of ſin that are but for a ſeaſon; but there is an abiding guilt upon the ſpirit that is after a ſort infinite, being an offence againſt an infinite God, a violation of an infinite Holineſs, and a contempt of infinite Majeſty and Authority; and it is alſo eternal and will remain upon the Creature for ever, and nothing in the world but the Blood of Chriſt can take it away from the ſoul,Gen. 4.7.Gen 4:7 being ſprinkled upon the Conſcience; and this is the meaning of that Proverbial ſpeech, Gen. 4.7, Sin lies at the door; it's a ſpeech taken from a dog or a fierce beaſt that lies at the door to watch; and it teaches us three things: [1] That though the act be paſt, yet the guilt remains, binding over the ſoul to puniſhment, the ſin lies there. [2] That there is a time when ſin in the guilt and puniſhment of it may lie ſtill and be quiet, and a man may ruffle it in the houſe within and never be troubled at that which lies at the door. [3] Sin lying at the door will ſurely be awakened, and it will be eaſily awakened;Luther in loc. ad fores ſomno minime aptus eſt locus; ibi quieſcit peccatum ubi diu quieſcere non poteſt, &c. Sin lies aſleep there where it can lie long aſleep; the door will ſurely open, and the ſin that ſeems ſleepy now will awake, and therefore it is a fearful thing, talem habere janitorem, to have ſuch a porter. Jer. 2.22, Though thou waſh thy ſelf with niter and fullers ſoap, yet thy iniquity is markt before me; it's ſpoken of all the falſe gloſſes and pretences that men have to excuſe themſelves and to extenuate their ſins. There is a guilt upon the man before God,Jer. 17.1.Jer 17:1 The iniquity of Judah is writ with a pen of iron, &c. It is to be referred both ad reatum & culpam, and it notes the indelible characters of it upon the ſoul; that as the people of God have the Law of God writ upon their hearts, ſo have ungodly men the guilt of ſin and the law of ſin; their ſin will find them out. There are two things that men are terrified with,Numb. 32.23.Num 32:23 and they look upon as enemies, the word of God and the guilt of their own ſins, and therefore men do endeavour to fly from the one, and to hide themſelves from the other; now the word follows them, and will ſurely overtake them at laſt, Zach. 1.6. and the guilt of ſin that ſeeks the man; and albeit he has many a hiding place, yet ſin both in the guilt and in the puniſhment of it alſo will at laſt find him out. (3) Hence follows an evil Conſcience, Heb. 10.22. There are two things that make the Conſcience evil, it's pollution by reaſon of the filth of ſin, and its accuſation and condemnation by reaſon of the guilt of ſin; and though this indeed be mainly reſerved to the laſt day, Rom. 2.15, 16. when the book of Conſcience ſhall be opened, and that faculty enlarged, becauſe then it is to give up its Viatory office, and an account of the whole man that God has betruſted it with; yet it p. 19doth in many men begin here, according as the Lord is pleaſed to act it, and doth bring into the ſoul an foreign, Heb. 10.27. a receiving of judgment before-hand, binding a man over unto wrath, that the Creature is continually in expectation of it, Heb. 2.15. Mat. 8.…9. Art thou come to torment us before the time? therefore an evil Conſcience they have that tells them that there is a torment in a greater meaſure provided for them, and that there is a time appointed when the extremity of this torment ſhall begin, though as yet they knew the time was not come. Hence comes that fear which does torment the ſoul, 1 Joh. 4.18. that wrath will ſeize upon a man whereſoever he is, as it was with Cain, Gen. 4.14. Every one that meets me will ſlay me: he lookt upon himſelf, as Luther ſaith, Tanquam excommunicatus ſpiritualiter & corporaliter, regnum amiſerat & eccleſiam, as one who was excommunicated both ſpiritually and corporally, &c. And therefore he that was put out of the protection of God could look for no ſafety amongſt the Creatures; hence a man walks in the horrour of the ſhadow of death; Felix trembles, and Herod fear'd it was John Baptiſt that he had ſlain that was riſen again. There is fear on every ſide: if he walks by the way he looks vengeance ſhould come upon him, and he ſhall never again viſit his habitation, and if he abide in his houſe there is a curſe entered into the ſtones and the timber of it; when he lies down at night, he ſays, it may be this night God will take away my ſoul, and he is ſcared with dreams, and terrified with viſions, that he is not able to ſtand under the imaginations and thoughts of his own heart: if he attend upon the Word there is a ſavour of death unto death; he ſees the grave open, and this is to him a teſtimony of a further death, 2 Cor. 2.16. And hence is that ſhame and confuſion of face that is in men: looking upon themſelves they abhor their own image, and are not able to endure their own ſtink, ſeeing how their ſouls do breed worms, as Herod's body did; they ſee that they are the loathſomeſt Creatures alive, and hence there is a loathing of themſelves; and it comes at laſt to a revenge, as we ſee in Judas. And the reflections and reproaches of a mans own ſpirit he cannot bear: and he has theſe dreadful deſperate thoughts, I ſhall never find mercy, my glaſs is run, my hope is paſt, ſurely there is no mercy for me; if there were as many windows in Heaven as there be Stars, as many doors as there be ſouls, yet there would be no entrance for me. And the ſoul ſinks down under his own burden for ever, and ſays, My iniquity is heavier than I can bear. And this is properly the death of the ſoul, it is eternal deſperation, it's hell it ſelf. I had time and means, and offers, and intreaties and works, and motions of the Spirit of God; but the Lord has now forſaken me, and the night is come upon me, there is as much hope of the Devils as of me. And this is much ſtrengthned by the threatning and the Curſe of the Law, giving a man his portion;Hoſ. 6.5.Hos 6:5 and ſo Miniſters are ſaid to judge men, Ezech. 20.…. and to torment them. Rev. 11.10. and to kill them; which is all barely by the words ſuggeſting to an evil Conſcience, and the Conſcience aſſiſting thereunto: and there is anſwerable to the Curſe of the firſt Covenant a work of the Spirit of God upon a mans ſoul, which is called a ſpirit of bondage, and a ſpirit of fear, Rom. 8.15. 2 Tim. 1.7. whereas men would turn away their eyes from their ſins, the Spirit of God does hold them upon it, and ſet them in order before them: and whereas men would have ſlight apprehenſions of ſin and wrath, the Spirit of God does give a man great apprehenſions and dreadful thoughts of them: and as in Heaven the ſpirit of Adoption ſhall be in perfection, ſo in Hell the ſpirit of bondage ſhall be in perfection alſo.

4. God gives a man up unto the power of ſin and the dominion of it; that a man is not his own, but yields up himſelf and his members inſtruments to unrighteouſneſs, Rom. 6.18. He gives over himſelf to obey ſin and the luſts thereof; man ſells himſelf to ſin ſinfully, and God ſells him judicially, &c. That as a godly man is not his own, ſo neither is a wicked man: For his ſervant a man is to whom he obeys, whether it be of ſin unto death, Rom. 6.16.Rom 6:16or of obedience unto righteouſneſs; and therefore they are the ſervants of ſin. Now ſin has a double power, (1) of a Lord, as it reigns over men, which unto godly men is taken away. (2) As a Hu…band, Rom. 6.14. that's a power of love that it can command, and a man has an inward affection to obey it, as it is ſaid of Ahab, he did ſell himſelf to work wickedneſs;Rom. 7.3.Rom 7:3 and then God ſells a man to wickedneſs, and the man is become wholly the ſervant and the creature of ſuch a luſt. Every man by nature indeed does ſin freely; but ſome men are left to a judiciary freedom in ſinning, that as they cannot reſtrain themſelves, ſo God will not reſtrain them from ſinning; but they ſhall pour out themſelves to all iniquity with greedineſs, Jude v. 11. they ſhall be as wicked as they will, that ſo they may fill up their meaſure of ſinning; as Chriſt ſaid of the Phariſees, Fill up the meaſures of your fathers: it's ſpoken by way of wrath and vengeance; the Lord did give them up to the power of ſin to the uttermoſt, Rev. 22.11, He that is unjuſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill, and he that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill. This permiſſion is the higheſt and foreſt affliction. And there the Church leaves them that are obſtinately ignorant, and reſiſt inſtruction, 1 Cor. 14.38, He that is ignorant let him be ignorant. Now for a man to be thus given up by God and his Church, is a moſt deſperate condition. As it is a fearful thing to p. 20fall into the hands of the living God; ſo it's a fearful thing to be given up to his own hearts luſt. To be given up to ſin is a juſt puniſhment of ſin; for the ways of ſin, as well as the wages of ſin, is death. It's a dreadful thing for the Lord to ſay of a people appointed to wrath, Jer. 15.2. Let them go forth, ſuch as are for the ſword to the ſword, and ſuch as are for the famine to the famine: but it is more dreadful for God judicially to ſay, let them go forth, ſuch as are for drunkenneſs unto drunkenneſs, and ſuch as are for uncleanneſs unto uncleanneſs; as much as ſin is a greater evil than affliction, and as much as it is better to ſuffer than to ſin.

5. God gives a man up to the power of Satan and his own will, 2 Tim. 2.26. The Devil is compared to a hunter, and men are by him taken alive as we do beaſts in a ſnare, and then carried whither the hunter will: though God be not the author of ſin, yet he is the orderer of it as well as of ſuffering: and as he ſets bounds unto Satan in our affliction, as Job 1.12. All that he has is in thy hand, only upon himſelf lay not thy hand; ſo he does in our temptations alſo, He will not ſuffer you to be tempted above what you are able, 1 Cor. 10.13. Satan would indeed tempt you above what you are able, but God will not ſuffer you ſo to be tempted. It's a fearful thing for God to give a man either in his body or eſtate over to the will of the Devil, as we ſee in Job, how ſad was it with him in that regard; but much more for God to give over a mans ſpirit to Satan to carry a man unto what ſins he will: then I am ſure he will be boundleſs in his ſinning, as well as in his ſuffering. It's an obſervation of Damaſcene, that it's only by ſin that Satan has acceſs to the ſpirits of men, and therefore he did tempt Adam and Chriſt himſelf by outward objects only preſented to the ſenſes, which is a great argument that he could not have acceſs to their ſpirits.Joh. 14.30.John 14:30 The Prince of this world, ſays Chriſt, comes and has nothing in me. The more Satan has in a man the more immediate acceſs he has to him, and the greater power over him; therefore the leſs of Satan there is in a man ſurely the leſs power he has over him. But beſides the poſſeſſion and dominion that ſin has given him, there is a delivering a man unto Satan, a kind of ſpiritual excommunication by God himſelf; as Chriſt by a ſop gave Satan full poſſeſſion of Judas: Joh. 13.27.John 13:27and though before the ſop he had it may be ſome reluctancy to that damned buſineſs, yet after it Satan had full power over him, and he goes on with a reſolution, and an impudent boldneſs, and ſays, Whom I kiſs he it is; for he was delivered over to the will of Satan to carry him unto what ſin he would. And ſo we may obſerve of the falſe Prophets in Ahab's time, and them alſo that are mentioned in 2 Theſ. 2.12. and ſuch men, as Tertullian obſerves, he raiſes to a higher degree of wickedneſs; the Devil vouchſafed them greater and fuller power: he ſpeaks it of Marcion, Valentinus, and other Hereticks, Satan brings them to thoſe ſins againſt God that he himſelf cannot commit.

6. All Providences and Ordinances, and Operations of the Spirit become a curſe to them, and a ſnare to their ſouls; Proſperity makes them full and deny the Lord, and poverty makes them ſteal and take the name of God in vain.Prov. 30.8.Prov 30:8 If a man be raiſed from a low eſtate as Saul and Hazael, it is in wrath; and if he be preſerved in a common judgment it is in wrath: as God raiſed up Pharaoh, That he might ſhew his power on him, and ſend all his Plagues upon his heart; and if there be a Prophet ſent to Jeroboam, a judgment lights on him in his way back, becauſe he was diſobedient to the word of the Lord:1 King. 13.33.1 Kgs 13:33 yet thereupon Jeroboam turns not from his abomination. Every act of Providence is to them for evil, and a ſnare to their ſouls; and all the Ordinances that they do enjoy do but ripen their ſins, Amos 8.7. there is a fullneſs of curſe as well as of bleſſing in the Goſpel; and it's a favour of death as well as of life, and all the works of illumination, humiliation, ſeeming converſion and reformation do make them but the ſtronger enemies to God; when they fall from them all they do but prepare a habitation for ſeven worſe ſpirits; for the dog to return to his vomit again: as we read ſuch a ſtory of one Euſtathius, who was firſt an Arian, and then afterwards was converted and ſubſcribed the Articles of the Council of Nice, and was a man imployed by the Church, and endured a great Perſecution with Baſil, and divers other godly men; and yet afterward he turned again into the former Doctrine of Arianiſme, and never returned. And ſo we read of Alexander in Act. 19.33. and afterwards of his Apoſtacy; and theſe works do qualifie men for the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and make them more conformable to the Devil than otherwiſe they would be.

7. There is a giving a man up to Spiritual judgments which are of all plagues the greateſt, Exod. 9.14. As ſpiritual ſins are the greateſt ſins, ſo are ſpiritual judgments the greateſt plagues, and there is no plague like that of the heart, 1 King. 8.38. and we have ſo much the more cauſe to obſerve them, becauſe God did formerly under the Old Teſtament puniſh with outward and temporal puniſhments; but thoſe that live under the Goſpel are ſpecially puniſhed with Spiritual judgments; as the mercies of the Goſpel are more ſpiritual, ſo are the puniſhments alſo: and they are (1) a hard heart; which implys three things, [1] Inſenſibleneſs of ſin and judgment: [2] Taking no impreſſion either from the Word or Spirit, and the p. 21touches of both. [3] Inflexible as an Adamant, that you cannot bow nor break it, and that heart that is a flint to God is wax to Satan; no command, nor judgment of God will break it, for it's poſſeſt with an iron ſinew; bray a fool in a mortar, yet his folly will not depart. (2) There is a ſpirit of ſlumber that a man is ſenſible of nothing, no danger can wake him; for ſleep is the binding up of all the ſpiritual ſenſes. Their eyes are cloſed and they cannot ſee; their ears are uncircumciſed and they cannot hearken; let them be ſmitten and they cannot feel it; and nothing does awaken them, neither the loudeſt cry of the Word, nor the judgments of God; a deep ſleep is upon them, and they fear no evil. (3) A ſeared Conſcience, 1 Tim. 4.2. the word ſignifies, to ſear with a hot iron, and to make inſenſible, to have no feeling, or elſe to cut off by ſearing; ſo that men walk as if they had no Conſciences left. (4) An injudicious mind; God gives them over to a reprobate mind:Rom. 1.28.Rom 1:28 an injudicious mind is taken with envy, error, with every vanity, and is able to judge aright of nothing. (5) Vile affections, the baſeſt and moſt diſhonourable luſts, even ſins that are below a man, as brute beaſts therein to corrupt themſelves, and that makes them hateful and abominable to all the world. (6) A final impenitency, a heart that cannot repent;Heb. 6.4.Heb 6:4 and it's impoſſible for them to be renewed again by repentance.

§. 4. Having ſpoken of Temporal death and Spiritual death, we ſhould now come to conſider Eternal death; which, as it is ſaid of the Glory of the Saints, Neither eye has ſeen, nor ear has heard, neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive, &c. it is as true of this Eternal death, no ear has heard what it is; it is called perdition and deſtruction, the ſecond death. And as Heaven is ſet out by ſome reſemblances of the glory of the things in this life, ſo is Hell in reſpect of the miſeries of this life; but all theſe are but ſhadows of the one and of the other. Pſal. 90.11, Who knows the power of thy wrath? as is thy fear, ſo is thy wrath: that is, the wrath of God in the dreadful effects of it is ſuch that it paſſes knowledg, and it paſſes fear. The heart of man is able to conceive vaſt fears, as it has vaſt deſires; but whatever we can fear there is ſomething in the wrath of God anſwerable to all. But having ſpoke of this more largely elſewhere, I ſhall but touch upon it at preſent. In this death there is ſomething eſſential which befalls all that ſuffer theſe torments, and is inſeparable from it, as they do fall upon ſuch a ſubject; the eſſential part of this death the Scripture makes to be of two parts, there is puniſhment of Loſs, and puniſhment of Senſe. There is a loſs and a ſeparation of a man from all good things whatſoever; there is no man but has ſome good thing in poſſeſſion, and he has ſomething of which hope gives him a reverſion: but in this death he ſhall be ſeparated from them both, and this is the privative part. This poena damni, puniſhment of loſs, is double, (as Durandus has obſerved, pag. 210.) either, in amiſſione boni habiti, vel nondum habiti, in the amiſſion of ſome good poſſeſſed or hoped for: Now by this death men ſhall be ſhut out from both: Firſt, they ſhall be ſhut out of the preſence, viſion and fruition of God for ever; there ſhall paſs upon him an foreign, as Divines did anciently call it, an eternal excommunication, or a non-communion: as their ſpiritual death did conſiſt in an eſtrangement from God in holineſs, ſo their eternal death ſhall conſiſt in an eternal ſeparation from God in happineſs; They ſhall be puniſhed with eternal deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, 2 Theſ. 1.9. and this was the great torment that Chriſt does complain of, Mat. 27.46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and yet it was only ſubſtractio viſionis, a ſubſtraction of viſion. And this is the great affliction of his people here on earth: if the Lord hide his face, David ſays, Hide not thy face from me, leſt I be like to them that go down into the pit: and yet this is but a hiding of his face, as an Eclipſe of the Sun for a day; he will but hide his face for a little moment, but he will have mercy on thee with everlaſting loving kindneſs: how much more when God ſhall caſt a man off in wrath for ever, and never have an eye upon him more! and therefore the Fathers do generally ſay, that the greateſt torment of Hell is this of Loſs; Abſentia Dei quoad viſionem omnia alia tormenta ſuperat. Auguſtine and Chryſoſtom in Mat. 7. Mille Gehennae paenas: and there is nothing ſo dreadful as to be ſeparated from God, and to be hated by him.