382 Ephefanf,Chap.3., V is R. 12. as in all ofus by nature, weare aliens from God, andflrangers from the wombe, and can never come where God is. Where them are imper- fect, as in the regenerate, they are firangers in part, thoughof thefame nature. Ifwe were perfectly holy and like God in our nature, and had full and petfet acquaintance with God, had never eftranged our felves from him by linne , then we might goe to God of our felves without a Mediatour to take us by thehand. Againehave we never fo much corruption of nature , if there be any true grace and fparke of Gods nature and life inus, we neednot feare and run away fromGod, as longas we havea Mediatour to take us by the hand and leadus, that will not quench thefmoakingflaxe, nor break thebroiledreed; but withone offeringbathperfectedfor ever them that arefanûified in any fmal] mea. lure: thoughwe daylydepart from God by finne, yet if there be any will and defire of repentance, of converfion and acquaintance with God, we are capable ofa Mediatour to bring us to perfeçt fellowfhip t aohn t: s. with God. Godin himfelfe is a fall and perfect light, and in him isno Ephef.5.8. darknefeat all; we by nature are nothingbut darkneffe, and have no light at all. Now comes Chrift a Mediator betweenus both , that becaufe there can be nocommunion between light anddarknes, Chiift the middle perfon in Trinity comes between God and us, between God that fini- pie lighr,and us that arenothing but darkneffe, and communicating of bothour natures, and taking uponhim all our (innes , brings us into fellowfhipwith God, reconciling and killing the enmityofour natures injuftification,& then imputing Gods nature to us in part,by fandihca. Lion, whichbecaufe it is imperfedt,by his perfect facrifice & intercef . on & leadingus to God daily,he renewed) & increafeth our fellowfhip andcommunion with Gcd, till we be prefented perfect in Chrift Iefus to God his Father: according therefore to our mixt condition in this life, oflight and darknelfe, holineffe and corruption, we have a mixt and imperfe&& acceffe to God and fellowfhip with him which is by manuduétion and Ieading to God. This doth give us to confider,thatifwe be in our naturali eftate,we have no converte, noacquaintance and familiar acceffe to God ; nay it is a terrible thing to fee God, the countenanceof the Judge beingas plcafant to malefaétors,as Gods to u,,we are like Hamanwhen his face was covered. But men will except againft this their eftate, that theyhave good confciences to plead before God, that they delight tocome to Church where God is prefent,that they find no feare with them. But all this is asthe theefe, who beforehis conviction , though bee be never fobad, will plead not guilty, but at length his note changeth, and his countenance turneth, yea hisjoynts oft tremble: fo thefe men outofChrift, till God boldeth his leffe and greater afhfes and awake their confciences,they will fpeak farre otherwife thenit is. And though men may come outwardly with their lips, yet they cannot come in heart and truth nearehim; and though they have no feare , it is but Belfhazzars andFelix his fecurity, which fo Toone as God (hall roufe them Eph. a. Match.. z. Yf. ,. object. Wicked men arc deceived whoare per- fwadedof their fecuriry to Godward. Ant.
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