Mansmiferywithout the Clof6e/l, I 0 CHAP. XV THe Lords difpenfing of fweet and heavenly blellings unto man, by the labours of his holy and faithfull Mi- nifters, fhewes what the elate and condition of man is without the Lords Miniffers ; even an ef}ate of woes, of myferies, and curfes : Mans condition without the mini. fiery of the Gofpell is very wretched and miferable , an eftate of death without fpirituall life ; the earth without the Sunne is but a dead and fruitleffe lump ; the foule without the Sunne of Righteoufneffe fhining in the Gol pelf is r dead in firmes and trefpaffes ; a tree twice. oncce by originali corruption , and fecondly by ac`ëuall tranfgreßîon, andplucked up by the Y roots, wholly feparate from all the meanes of' life ; a he that hath not the Sonne, externally in the Gofpell, internally in his heart, minif&e- rially in his word, and efficiently in his worke of grace; he hath not life : Such are farre from the life of' grace and fanaification as are ftrangers to Chrift in his Gofpell : The woman of Shunenms fonne remained dead, according to the body, till the Prophet came and railed him ; the foule of man continues dead in refpe& of the inward man, untill the Minifler of the Lord comes to quicken him. 2, An eftate ofdarknefe : Man without the miniftery of the word is in darkneffe and the fhadow of death, a darke body without an eye, a darke houle without a Lamp. The foules clearer} light is nothing elfe but darknef'le, as long as the Gofpell doth not Thine into it, to irradiate and enligh- ten it, There was once no light in all the land ofEgypt, onely the children of Ifrael had light in b their dwellings; there is no fpirituall and heavenly light in all the world, but among Gods Ifrael there is light only in their dwel- lings who enjoy the Gofpell, In fudah ie god knowne, and his name is great in Ifrael, God is truly and ravinglyknowne only by that people who enjoy the light of the Gofpell. 3. An', Mans eflate without the Gofpell, an eflate : t.Of Death; y Eph.z. t. ïr IIId.VEr, 22. a Ioh. f, rz. z King.4. z.Of Darkncs. b E:od, to, s;
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