2 ¡ . An Egquiry at er a mans e flute. Rcm, i6. Paul;and he relleth us in what eflate4pelles was in before God r8, namely in an cflate of approbation, approved in ('hu ll. And the fame Apofle fpeaketh on the contrary of the unconverted Gentiles, that they were ran ers ern the life of God, Ephef.4 Eyler: ' t F. Secondly, as it is a relation untoGod, foJit is a hhanding re -. lotion : That wherein he flandeth towards God , that is a mans efface before God. There is a. difkrence between one that doch fin and one that is in the Hate of fin: A child of God may fin, but he is not in a (rate offin;you cannot call him a wicked man, So allo there is difference between one that doth fome good aáuions and one that is in a good cflate : A carnali man may do lame good things, but he is not ina good cflate. The eflate of la man is a 'landing thing, it is the relation chat he flandeth in I towards God. Thirdly; Isis the relations that a man ftandeth in towards God as he s the fee fountain of fpirituall lré andPal_ vatios. It is not every handing relation towards God For a man may beconliidered in relation to God as a Creatour, and fo the heavens and the earth and the very brute beaíls Hand in relation to God as they are his creatures; but they have not this elate that we (peak of, which is a relation to God as the free giver of fpirituall life and falvation. (He is free, he may choofe whether he will give it or no.) Now this is a manseflate, the relation he flandeth in unto God,whether the Lord bath given him his Paving grace, yea or no ; fpirituall life in Chrilt Je fus, yea or no; title to heaven and falvation, yea or no ? this is the meaning when we fpeak of a mans eflate. It is íàid of Sodomy G 1. en. r3, They were fnners before God : that is, they were in a bad eflate, Luke r, 6, a Hate of fn. It is Paid of Zachary and Slizabeth,They were both Obferv. righteous before God; that is, they were both in a very good blirtilters (rate, a re to en All Chriflians believe that there is a God : It behoveth eve- qu'.re alter ry one now to confider in what eftate he flandeth to his God . the c&ne This isa great queflonthat we which are MU-lifters ought to ofech their demand of our people, to know their citares, people. Firth, becaufe we are Shepherds, and are bound to look well r, how it flandeth with our flock,If we do not labor to knowyour effaces, .,, _ .
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