Ss cr.XII. of Effet?ual Cdlling. 689 themfelves in,but in refpeCtoftheir affeetions and heart, föthey areatas great di- fiancefrom God and his holy wares, as Heathenand Publicacs. This diftin:%ian mutt beattended unto, that wedonotvainly deceive our feIves, astheJews did, with The temple e f the Lord, thetemple aftháLord.: Secondly, They areafar offinre{feetofGods I jeciallandgraciouulovetojufltfìe 2. theirperfons, topardon theirfns. This elfo is urged Epbef a. Hepreached peaeè to them that wereafarof; Peace, fo then there was war and enmity before be- tweenGodand them, And thus they may be laid tobe without God, bóth a- aively andpaffively ; aaively as before, havingnoknowledge or loveofGod and paffively, God bath no approving .knowledge or loveof them. Thus are we till Godcala us, in a (late of Gods difpleafire; as aílófalonìca(t out froth gjavidsprefence. Hisanger is towards us all the day long : And if the rerrout ofaKing be likethe roaringof alion ; what arc the frownsand difpleafüres of theKingofKings 1 Oh that peòple were wife to confider, whatthey areby na- ture, under what heavy difpleafure they are l Doth the Scripture bid us agree with a man that is an adverfary quickly in the way,leá he deliver us to the Judge; what reafon then is it,toagreewith God our adverfary fpeedily, who hach fach fpiritual and eternal torments to scourgeits with, that no man canhave? Do not thoupheafe thy felt then wit h thefe thoughts,, that thouhaft free acceffe tó the pretenceand into the favour ofgreat ones onearth; for if thou arefaire off from God,ifbe regard thee nor,ifhis difpleafurebe towards thee, thou art in the hate ofgall and wormwood. , Thirdly, We areby nature afar offrom Chrifl the Mediator between God and g, mom. And this inde:d is the foundation ofall calamity; for as in thrift we are bleffed with all heavenly bleffìngs, fowithout himwe are turfed with all fpiri- tuall andtemporali curies. You fpeakthe femmeand abfiraft ofall mifery, when youfay apeople are without Chrift. T hisalto is mentioned Ephef a. as part of thatdiftance from God. For filch is the contrariety between God and man, God an holy and pure God, man a wretched and corrupt enemy to him, that here could neverbe any reconciliation but by Chrift: We fee how farceoff the Apo- hate Angels are call from God, neverto be reconciled, and all becaufe Chrift took not their nature upon him: And thus men without Chrift, for theprefenf have no way ofaccelle to God; for why? Should they come in their own names? alas I they arefinners, they are adverfaries unto God, who then muff fpeak for them ? who willpleadfor them ? And confider, that not Only the hea- thens andPagans inthe remote places ofthe world maybe without Chi-Pt but even many ofthofe who have the title of Chriftians, and profeffe Obedience ro him, mayyet bewithout him ina laving manner. Will not Chrift fay to maw whodid prophefie and call out devils in his name,/ loosyou not ± So then Cbrilt may not knowmany within theChurch, many that call on his name. Oh be afraid left thistruth Ihould be verified of any of you; thatthough you be near Chrift in words, in prayer, in profeflìon, yet wholly without Ginn in refpo ofany.gracious r fe@s. Nowwhat is it, to have riches and honours, and tù be withoutChrift ? To have the great thingsoftheworld, and tohaveno portion inhim? When God promifedgreat earthly mercies to Abraham, oh faith he, Igoehildlefe; that troubledhim ; what was all that wealth,if hehad no childe? And thus; although God give theeall externall happineffe, and thedefires of thy heart; yet fay, behold I amwithout Chrift hill, and what will all theft things avail me, Fourthly, Such at areafarof, They have an hope. They are anhopelelfe peo- ple; which way foever they look, every thing curfethand condemneth them ; and no marvel/, for,if without thepromife,they havenot thegroundofhope, and ifwithout Chrift, the objed ofhope. And this alfo is added in the forementi= oned place, Ephef.a. Without hope. Now you knowthe Heathens faigned, that when allthings weregone,yet hope was in the bottom of iPandoraea box; iót- T tt t plyinga
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