Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

148 Man's natural State State II.
even as others Jews as well ns Gentiles. Thofe
that are now, by: Grace, the Children of God,
were, by Nature, in no better Cafe; than thofe that
are ftill in their natural State.
Lajlly, There is a glorious and hn^y Change in¬
timated here ; we were Children of Wrath, but
are not fo now; Grace has brought us out. of that
fearful State. This the Apoftle fays .of himfelf and
other Believers. And thus, it well, .becomes the
People of God to be often (landing on the Shore, and
looking back to the Red-fea of the State of Wrath,
they were fometimes weltering in, even as others.
Man’s natural. State a State of Wrath.
Doctrine, ‘fhe State of Nature is a State of
Wrath: Every one in a natural unregenerate State,
is in a State of Wrath. We are born Children of
Wrath; and continue fo, until we be horn again.
Nay, as foon as we are Children oi Adam, we are
Children of Wrath.
I {hall ufher in what I am to fay on this Point,
with a few Obferves touching the Univerfality of
this State of Wrath ; which may ferve to prepare
the Way of the Word into your Conferences.
Wrath has gone as wide as ever Sin went. When
Angels finned, the Wrath of God brake in upon
them as a Flood. God fpared not the Angels that
finned, but cafi them down to Hell, 2 pet,, ii. 4.
And thereby it was demonftrated. That no natural
Excellency in the Creature, will Ihidd it from the
Wrath of God ; if. once it become a finful Crea¬
ture. The fineft and niceftFiece of the Workmanlhip
of Heaven, if once the Creator’s Image upon it,
be ■de;ac,d by Sip, God can and will dafh. in
Pieces,