2 AnEnquiryafter a manseflate. Rem, i6. Parsl;and he relleth us inwhat eflateApelles was in before God, is. namely, in an estate of approbation, approvedin Christ. And the fame Apoftle fpeaketh on the contraryof the unconverted Gentiles, that theywerefirrangrers stop; the life ofGod, Ephef.4 Ephef. 4' t F. Secondly, as it is a relation unto God, fo it is a ftanding re- 18' lation :That whereinhe ftandeth towards God , that is a mans eflate beforeGod. There is a difference between one that doth fin and one that is in the {}ate of fin: A child of God may fin, but he is not in a Date of fin;you cannot call him a wicked man, So allo there is difference between one that doth fame good actions and one that is in a good eftate : A carnal! man may do lame good things, but he is not in a good eftate, The eflate of a man is a {landing thing, it is the relation that he flandeth in towards God. Thirdly, It is the relation that a man ftandeth in towards God as he is thefree fountain of ¡ irituall Efe a.rsdfal- vation. It is not every ftanding relation towards God For a man may be confidered in relation to God as a Creatour, and ,fo the heavens and the earth and the very brute beafts ítand in relation toGod as they are hiscreatures; but they havenot this eftate that we fpeak of, which is a relation to God as the free giver of fpirituall life and falvation. (He is free, he may choose whether he will give it or no.) Now this is a mans eftate, the relationhe flandeth in untoGod,whether the Lord hathgiven him his laving grace, yea or no ; fpirituall life in Chrifl J efus, yeaor no; title to heaven and faivation, yeaor no ? this is the meaning when we (peakof a mans eftate. It is laid of Sodom, Gem 13. They »»erefanners before God : that is, they were in a bad eflate,. L3kc r. G. a {fate of fin. It is faid ofZachary and elizabeth,They »vere both Objèrv. righteoats before God; that is, they were both in a very good Mini{ters Date, are to en All Chriflians believe that there is aGod : It behoveth eve- qu.re after ry one now to confider in what eftatehe ftandeth to his God.. the edtate This is a great queítion that we which are Minifters ought to pop er demandofour people, to know their eftates. Rea ons. Firfl, becaufe weare Shepherds, and are bound to look well f how it ítandcth withourflock,If we do not labor toknowyour eftates,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=