13+ An 6xpofition of the . CHAP. IL heads. j. That which corruptethand depraveth theprinciples of our nature in their' 'beingandoperation. And, z. That which isdeJlru2iive dour nature as to its well- being and happinefs. The fieri ofthefe isfin, the latter is punifhment ; and both of them take up the whole.nature ofeve/. The particulars comprifed in them maynot here be dillinF.fly and feverally infr(ted on.. Theformer containeth our Apoitajie from God, with all the confequences ófit ; in darknefs, folly, filth, fhame, bondage, reft- lefnefs, fervice of lufl theworld andSathan, and therein confiant rebellion againft God, and diligence in working out our own everlafling ruiner 211 attended with a fenfe- lefsilupidity in not difcerningthefe things to be evil, hurtful, noifome, corruptiveof our natures and beings; and for the moll part withbruitiJhfenfaality in the approbation and liking of them. But he who underftands no evil in being fallenofffrom God, thefir( Caufe; chiefift Good, and Taft End ofall ; inbeing under the power of a confiant Enmity agamft him, in thediforder ofhis whole, foul, and all the faculties of it, in the conftanr fervice of fin, the fruit ofbondage and captivity in the molt vile condition, will be awakened unto another apprehenfionofthefe things, whena time ofdeliverancefrom them (hall beno more. The latter ofthefecon(ìlls in the wrath or curfeof God, and cow- prizeth what ever is or may be penal and 4Qlitïive unto ourNature unto Eternity. Now fromboth thefe, with all their effeEts and confequences, are Believersdelivered by thisfalvation, namely fromfn and wrath. The Lord Chrift wascalled Jefus, becaufi . heraves his peoplefrom their fins, Matth. 1.21. And he is alfo the Saviour who delivers them from the wrath to come, t 7heft. to. And this isgreatfalvation. Ifa man be but the means of delivering another from poverty, imprifonment, or a dangerous'difeafe,. efpecially if fuck a one could be nootherwife delivered .but by him, how great is the . kindnefs ofit efleemed to be, and that defervedly ? Providential deliverances from imminent dangers of death temporal, are looked on as greatfalvation, and that by good men, and fo they ought to be, z Cor. t. to. But what are all thefe unto this falvation ? What is theJiekneßofthe body, unto the difeafe, yea.the death of the foul? What is imprifonment of the out-ward man, under thewrath of poor worms like our Elves, and that for a few days, unto the chainsof everlaflingdarknefl? What is a little Outwardwant and poverty, to the want of thefavour love:and prefence of God unto Eternity ? What is "deathtempora, .pafìin a moment, an end of troubles, an entrance into Rat, unto death eternal, an eternal dying, under the curfe wrath and righteous vengeance ofthe holy God ? Thefe things havenoproportion one tò-another. So unexprelftblygreat is this fàlvation, that there is nothing left us to illuffrate it with- all. And this excellencyof Gofßelfalvation will at lengthbe known to themby whom atprefent it is deffifed, when they (hall fall and perilh under the want ofit, and that to Eternity. Lafily, This falvation is Great upon the account of the Endof it, or that which it brings Believers unto. Thedeliverance of the People ofIfrael ofold out ofEgypt was greatfa-lvation ; fodoth God every where fet itforth, and fo did the people efteent it, and that juftly.. They who murmured under it, they who defpifed.the pleafanr land, fell all of them under the fore difpleafure of God. But yet as this deliverance was but from temporal outwardbondage, fo that which it brought them unto was but outward ref( fora few days, in a plentiful country ; it gave them an inheritance of Houles and Lands and Vineyards in the LandofCanaan; but yet there alto they quickly died, and'manyofthem perifhed. in their fins. But as we have feen what we are deliveredfrom by thisfalvation, fo the Excellency of the Inheritance which we ob- tain thereby is fuch, as no heart canconceive, no tongue canexprefs. It brings us into the favourand love ofGod, unto the Adoption of children, into durable reft and peace; in a word, unto the enjoyment ofGod inglory eternal. Oh the Blegidneßofthis Reif, the Glory of this Inheritance, theExcellency ofthis Crown, the Eternity and unchangeablenefs ofthis Condition, the Çreatneßof this Salvation 1 howmean, how weak, how low, how unworthy are our apprehenfions of it ? yet furely through the bleffed Revelationof the Spirit. ofGraceby the word ofthe.Gofpel, we fee, we feel, we experience fo much ofit, as is fuflicient to keep us up unto an holy Admiration and longing after itall the days ofourpilgrimagehereon earth. . It remaineth now that we declare the unavoidableneßof their defiruthion who negleíí thisfi great falvation. There are three things that make the punifhment, or defiru- ¿bon ofany perron to be unavoidable. r. That it be ¡tiff andequal. 2. That there be no reliefnor remedy provided for him. And, 3. That he to whom it belongs to infliát punifhment, beableand refolved fo to do : and they all concur to the height in this cafe. For, r. It
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