NATURAL AND SPIR And he bath appointed them unto this end, because considering the moral and intellectual faculties of the mindsof men, they are suited thereunto. Hence these effects are ascribed unto the word, which really are wrought by the grace communicated thereby, James i. 18. 1 l'et. i. 21. And this, in their dispensation un- der the covenant of grace, is their proper end. God may therefore wisely make use of them and command them to be used towards men, notwithstanding all their own disability savingly to comply with them, seeing he can, will, and doth himselfmake them effectual tinto the end aimed at. Sect. 19. But it will be further objected, <° that if « men are thus utterly devoid of a principle of spiri- t, tuai life, of all power to live unto God; that is, to re- pent, believe, and yield obedience; is it righteous !t that they should perish eternally, merely for their dis- " ability, or their not doing that which they are not a- ble to do?" This would be to require brick, to give no straw; yea, to require much where nothing is given. But the scriptureevery where chargeth the de- struction of men upon their wilful sin, not their weak- ness.or disability. Ans. (1.) Mens disability to live to God is their sin. Whatever therefore ensues thereon, may be justly charg- ed on them. It is that which came on us by the sin of our nature in our first parents; all whose consequents are our sin andour misery, Rom. v. 12. Had it befal- len.us withouta guilt truly our own, according to the law of our creation and covenant of our- obedience, the case would have been otherwise. But on this supposi- tion, (sufficiently confirmed elsewhere,) those who per.. ish, do but feed on the fruit of their own ways. Sert, 20. (2.) In the transactions between God and the souls of men, with respect unto their obedience and salvation, there is noneof them but hath a power in sundry things, as to some degrees and measures of them, to comply with his mind and will, which they volunta- rily neglect. And this of itself is sufficient to bear the charge of their eternal ruin: But, (3.) No man is so unable to live unto God, to do any thing for him, but that withal he is able to do any thing against him. There is in all men, by nature, a deprav- ed vicious habit of mind, wherein they are alienated from the lifeof God. And there is no command given unto men for evangelical faith or obedience, but they ITUAL, COMPARED. 169 can and do put forth a free positive act of their wills in the rejection of it, either directly or interpretatively, in preferring somewhat else before it. As theycannot come. to Christ, unless the Fatherdraw them, so they willnot come that they may have life; wherefore their destruc- tion is just, and of themselves. This is the description which the scripture giveth us, concerning the power, ability, or disability of men in the state of nature as unto the performance of spiritual things. By some it is traduced as fanatical and sense- less, which the Lord Christ must answer for, not we. For we do nothing but plainly represent what he bath expressed in his word; and if it he foolishness untoany, the day will determine wherethe blame must lie, Sect. 21.Secondly, There is in this death an actual cessation of all vital acts. From this defect of power, or the want of a principle of spiritual life, it is, that men, in the state of nature, can perform ho vital act of spiritual obedience; nothing that is spiritually good, or saving, or acceptedwith God according to the tenor of the new covenant; which we shall, in the second place, a little explain. The whole course of our obedience to God in Christ is the lifeof God, Eph. iv. 18. That life which is from him in a peculiar manner, whereof he is the especial author, and whereby we live unto him, which is our end. And the gospel, which is the rule of our obe- dience, is called the words ofthis lift, Acts v. 20. That which guides and directs us how to live to God. Hence all the duties of this life are vital acts, spiritually vital acts, acts of that life whereby we live to God. Sect. 22.Where therefore this life is not, all the works of men are dead works, Where persons are dead insin, their works are dead works. They are so all of them, either in their own nature, or with respect unto them by whom they are performed, Heb. ix. 14. They are dead works because they proceed not from a princi- ple of life, are unprofitableas dead things, Eph. v. 11. and end in death eternal, James i. 15. We may then consider how this spiritual life, which enableth us unto these vital acts, is derived and commu- nicated unto us: (1.) The original spring and fountain ofthis life is with God; Psal. xxxvi. 9. With thee is thefountain oflife. The sole spring of our spiritual life is in an especial way and manner in God. And hence our life is said to be hidwith Christ in God, Col, iii. 5.
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