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

164 cDoBt of the State oflV'rathStete II.
dren of Men were Children of Wrath ? He fuf-
fered the Wrath of God ; not for himfclf, but for
thofe that were liable to it in their own Perfons.
Nay, this not only fpeaks us to have been liable to
Wrath ; but alfo that Wrath muft hav« a Vent,
in the ptmijhing of Sin, If this was done in the
green Tree, what will become of the dry ? What
a miferable Cafe muft a Sinner be in, that’s out of
Chrift ; that is not vitally united to Chrift, and
partakes not of his Spirit ? God who fpared not his
own Son, furely will not fpare fuch a one.
But the unregenerate Man, who has no great
Value for the Honour of God, will be apt to rife up
againft his Judge, and in his own Heart condemn
his Procedure. Neverthelefs the Judge being infi¬
nitely juft, the Sentence muft be righteous. And
therefore, to ftop thy Mouth, O proud Sinner, and
to ftill thy Clamour againft thy righteous Judge;
confider, Firft, Thou art a Sinner fa Nature; and
’tis highly reafonable that Guilt and Wrath be as
old as Sin. Why Ihould not God begin to vindi¬
cate his Honour, as foon as vile Worms begin to
impair it ? Why lhall not a Serpent bite the Thief,
as foon as he leaps over the Hedge ? Why Ihould
not the Threatning take hold of the Sinner, as foon
as he cafts away the Command ? The poilonous
Nature of the Serpent, affords a Man fufficient
Ground to kill it, as foon as ever he can reach it:
And, by this Time thou mayft be convinced, that
thy Nature is a very Compound of Enmity againft
God. Secondly, Thou haft not only an Enmity a-
gainft God, in thy Nature ; but haft difeovered it,
by afiual Sins, which are in his Eye Afis of Hejli-
lity. Thou haft brought forth thy Lufts into the
Field of Battle againft thy Sovereign Lord. And
now,